The scientists took into account three indicators: the number of published studies, the novelty of these studies (how new were the ideas presented in them), and the number of citations in other articles. They discovered that Nobel laureates tend to reduce the amount of research they do after receiving this prestigious award. This suggests that receiving a reward is not very desirable for those who want to stay productive and relevant.

what is known

The researchers compared this data with data from people of similar age who received the Lasker Prize, another prestigious award in medicine. They did the comparison to minimize the risk of age affecting results – Nobel prizes are usually awarded late in their careers, when people are expected to work less.

On all three measures, Nobel laureates had higher scores than Lasker laureates before receiving the award. After that, the trend changes. After receiving the Nobel Prize, scientists are placed on the same level or even lower than those who receive the Lasker Prize.

These declines may reflect the energy-consuming effects of the award, its shifting incentives, or fundamentally different career curves for Nobel laureate medical researchers.
– researchers write in their work.

Lasker Prize winners also experienced a decline in performance after official recognition, but not as much as Nobel Prize winners. On average, for the 10 years after the win, Lasker laureates published one more work per year than Nobel laureates.

The data analysis shows an interesting pattern, although not detailed enough to prove a causal relationship. This, of course, does not mean that Nobel laureates are relieved because they have received the highest award and there are no other peaks worth reaching, but scientists see the need for a discussion about how the status of laureates has changed and what effect this has had. has research.

The Nobel Prize, founded by Alfred Nobel and first awarded in 1901, undoubtedly increases the prestige of science and encourages young scientists. The question being asked here is whether this will also lead to a decline in innovative, high-quality research. This is a very difficult question, at least because it is difficult to assess.

Now scientists want to explore the problem of receiving rewards in the early stages of a career.