Whose knowledge counts? Epistemic hierarchies in family science engagement

This study investigates how epistemic hierarchies emerge and shift within families during informal, everyday science-related activities. Although informal science learning is increasingly recognized as important, limited research has examined how knowledge and authority are constructed and negotiated among family members in daily life. Using a dataset of self-recorded videos, audio recordings, interviews, and WhatsApp conversations collected over several months from three families, this study examines how family members take up and assign epistemic roles across different contexts. Findings show that fathers were consistently positioned as primary epistemic authorities, with mothers typically occupying secondary positions. In contrast, sibling dynamics varied, and in some cases, younger siblings were positioned above older ones. These sibling hierarchies were shaped through ongoing interactions and actively reinforced by parents. The findings demonstrate that epistemic hierarchies are not fixed but dynamic and co-constructed through family interactions, and how they can either enable or limit participation in science-related activities. This work highlights how family dynamics and the roles parents play actively shape children’s access to and participation in meaningful science learning at home, revealing the nuanced ways these interactions construct and reinforce hierarchies that influence opportunities to engage in science.