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?