From Attitudes to Science Identity: A Critique of the Science Identity Construct in the PISA 2025 Science Framework

Science identity (SI) has gained increasing prominence in science education research due to its potential role in fostering student engagement, motivation, and persistence in STEM pathways. However, its conceptualization remains varied and contested, complicating both measurement and curricular implementation. The PISA 2025 Science Framework incorporates SI as a new dimension of scientific literacy; yet, its multidimensional conceptualization conflates intrinsic SI traits with related constructs—such as science capital, attitudes toward science, self‐efficacy, and environmental awareness—raising concerns about conceptual clarity and practical utility, particularly regarding attitudes toward science, which in previous PISA frameworks had served as an overarching construct encompassing these dimensions. This shift appears to represent a reorganization and relabeling of existing constructs rather than a genuine conceptual innovation, creating an “illusion of novelty” without substantive change. This position paper presents a study based on a critical literature review and a hermeneutic documentary analysis of the PISA 2025 Science Framework, aimed at examining how the SI construct is incorporated into this framework and to identify potential tensions with the relevant literature. Finally, we discuss the implications for assessment and curricular practice and invite further scholarly debate on refining and operationalizing SI across diverse educational contexts.