The Kardashian Index: a study of researchers' opinions on twitter 2014–2021

Abstract

The Kardashian Index was designed for comedic purposes and meant to highlight researchers with minimal scholar contribution but oversized social media influence. We sought to examine attitudes and understanding of the Kardashian index by conducting a retrospective observational study of tweets retrieved from the Twitter API, Academic Track. From July 30th, 2014 to May 1st, 2021, 5826 unique tweets containing the phrase "Kardashian index” or related search terms were identified. Interest in the Kardashian Index peaked around the time of publication (July 30th, 2014), though the metric received continued discussion. One hundred random tweets were analyzed to see if the conversation points were positive, negative, or neutral. A majority (29%) of the tweets were neutral. Twenty-three percent of the tweets addressed the user’s own K-Index value, while 21% and 17% of the tweets were either critical or joking, respectively. Only a minority of tweets are critical of or appreciate the humor of the Kardashian index. The majority discuss the term matter-of-factly. Although the Kardashian Index was created in a lighthearted manner, a more serious tone emerges, prompting questions about the shifting role of scholarly and public influence.