John C. Besley, Ph.D.Ellis N. Brandt ChairCommunication Arts and Sciences
Being strategic in science communication
In collaboration with Anthony Dudo, UTexas
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF, Grant AISL 14241214-421723. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.
Photo by the CDC
Core Question: What is the goal of (your?) science communication?
Would you be happy if you increased knowledge, awareness or excitement
BUT… didn’t affect policy support or behavior?
What I think of as goals …Personal Goals Success
More citations More invitations More grant
opportunities Improved reputation
Societal Goals Behavior change
Support for science-based policy
Individual choices (health, environment, career selection)
Willingness to let scientists ‘go about their business’)???
What’s missing?
Evidence that knowledge
and attitudes
are only weakly
correlated
What do people know
about science?
What do people know about science?
What it means• Small relationship
between knowledge and attitudes
• Varies a little bit by issue (e.g. smaller relationship for GM food)
Also lots of ‘information provision’ experiments
11
Released, October 2016
Conclusion 11Available research does not support the claim that increasing science literacy will lead to appreciably greater support for science in general
A couple of background points …
Flickr Creative Commons: dan hodgett, ‘an invitation’
Sharing knowledge will always be important
Clear + Focused > Unclear and Rambling(i.e., little jargon, active voice, clear point, understandable)
Flickr Creative Commons: Mark Hunger ‘Focus’
Lots of good books …
How to think about strategy
QUESTION:What channel,
messages, procedures, and
audiences will allow me to have the desired affect?
QUESTION: What do I needs to
change (in my audience[s]?) to
accomplish my goals?
QUESTION: What do I want to accomplish?
Goal • Individual
behavior change(start or stop)
• Change in support for policy ?
(If not facts …)
You have to choose what to say and do …
Through a journalist
Online
Face-to-face
With decision/policy makers
… no matter where you’re communicating
Through a journalist
Online
Face-to-face
With decision/policy makers
What you can change: Objectives
Warm/Caring
Listening Competent
Through communication I can make sure I show when I am …
Similar to you
Inside the “?” of communication …Why warmth, listening, identity, competence?
Flickr creative commons: Osbornb
System 1/Systematic/ Effortful/Central
System 2/Heuristic/ Automatic/Peripheral
Inside the “?” of communication …Why warmth, listening, identity, competence?
Flickr creative commons: Osbornb
Inside the “?” of communication …Why warmth, listening, identity, competence?
Flickr creative commons: Osbornb
WarmthListeningIdentity
Competence
Support
LearningTwo paths …
Step 3: Choose you tactics (actions, formats, words etc.)
Warmth
Listening
Competence
Identity
Objective Example tactic
What about these messages?
What about these messages??
Inside the “?” of communication …
Context for the issue
(Framing)
Emotion/Attitude
What other
people do and
expect
Through communication I can suggest …
Whether something works and
your ability
Mostly studied in the context of behavior change Flickr creative commons: Seyed Mostofa Zamani, Paul Skeie; also Top Gear website
Inside the “?” of communication …An example for framing …
DON’T use the language of conflict. Most Americans don’t typically respond well to framing LGBT issues as a “war,” “battle” or “fight.” …
Instead, talk about … the importance of ensuring that all people—including LGBT people—are treated fairly and equally.
https://lgbtmap.org/file/talking-about-overall-approaches-for-lgbt-issues.pdf
Inside the “?” of communication …Another example for framing …
What solutions does “war framing” suggest?
Inside the “?”of communication …Attitudes: Negative view of the industry?
Attitudes: Fear?
But be careful with fear …
Inside the “?” of communication …Norms: What do others do/want/expect?
Efficacy: It works. You can do it.
(FYI … these are from the “Theory of Planned Behavior)
(Re)framing
Descriptive Norms
Injunctive Norms
Internal efficacy
External efficacy
Objective Example Tactic
What tactics (words, actions, formats, etc.)
(Re)framing
Descriptive Norms
Injunctive Norms
Internal efficacy
External efficacy
The way I think about this issue is …Lots of people do this …People you care about want you to do this …You can do this …This will make a difference …
Objective Example Tactic
What tactics (words, actions, formats, etc.)
Final thoughts …
There are no silver bullets
Not everyone is reachable
It takes time and ‘a community’
The handout …
Goals (milestones)• Boost funding• Inspire appreciate • of science• Influence policy• STEM recruitment• Diversity STEM• Empower personal
decision making
Communication Objectives (stepping stones)• Knowledge/briefs/awareness• Excitement/interest/affect• Listen/demonstrate openness• Convey honesty/warmth/respect• Convey competence/expertise• Convey shared values/identity• Framing of thinking about topic• Descriptive norms/injunctive norms• Internal/external efficacy beliefs
Tactics• F-T-F outreach• Dialogue/deliberation• Media interview• Media content prod.• Blog/social media• Storytelling
QUESTION:What channel/audience will allow me to have the desired affect?
QUESTION: What do I need to change in my target population to accomplish my goals?
QUESTION: What do I want to accomplish?