Therefore, the science community has to meet expectations from both the public and its own scientists.
As a group, the science community has expressed interest in active public engagement to tackle these controversial topics such as vaccine safety, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and climate change. In 2015, Pew Research published a survey that reported 87% of polled scientists agreed that scientists should actively engage in public policy debates. This result complements a more recent study that reported that 86% of the polled Americans believed scientists should engage with elected officials and the public. Therefore, scientists have to meet expectations from both the public and its own community.
Image source: Skynesher
Correcting Misinformation
Rather than relying on the authority of the scientific consensus, it is more effective to educate a misinformed audience while acknowledging any emotional responses they may have.
One communication resource freely available for scientists to use is a comprehensive report published by the National Academy of Sciences. This report outlines correcting misinformation as a goal for science communicators. Especially for controversial science topics, frequent exposure to misinformation can affect individuals’ opinions on both the topic and their belief that scientific consensus is more divided on the issue in question than it actually is. On online platforms such as social media where 44% of its users are exposed to science news, quickly correcting misinformation is important for effective science communication.
Image Source: Maica
Unfortunately, with biases such as motivated reasoning at play, individual experts emphasizing just the scientific consensus has little effect on changing concerns over contested issues, such as (GMOs). However, individuals seem more satisfied when a group or health organization transparently corrects the misinformation itself and addresses emotional responses, such as fear and concern from their audience. Rather than relying on the authority of the scientific consensus, it is more effective to educate a misinformed audience and acknowledge any emotional responses they may have. Performing this method of science communication is a low-cost activity that minimally impacts any credibility from the public. Therefore, combating misinformation is a practice that more health organizations and scientists should pursue.
Targeting Audiences: Bringing Science to the People
With the accessibility of information online and in the public space, scientists have a unique opportunity to engage with audiences over controversial science issues that affect them.
The “ivory tower” is a common symbol used to describe an unengaged and detached science community, highlighting the gap between scientific research and the public. However, with younger, more directly engaged scientists, this image of the science community may be changing for the better. When scientific research affects particular subpopulations, bringing science to these groups is a key strategy to include (rather than exclude) these affected communities in the public policy debate. One strategy is to perform science talks in public places with a targeted audience in mind. For example, scientists in Hong Kong present science talks in bars, which give audience members an opportunity to engage with scientists in their own environments.
Image Source: Thomas Barwick
Another strategy is through online science blogs such as Morning Sign Out to produce written “explainers” to better educate the public, which is a common motivation among science bloggers. Other blogging methods such as microblogging via Twitter have also extended effective science communication to the public. With the accessibility of information online and in the public space, scientists have a unique opportunity to engage with audiences over controversial science issues that affect them. With such strategies to communicate effectively to their audience, veteran scientists may better train future researchers to escape the ivory tower.
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