Constructing an effective narrative framework to improve the effectiveness of scientific communication
August 07, 2024 15:22 Source: "China Social Sciences Journal" Issue 2950, ​​August 7, 2024 Author: Our reporter Lian Zhixian

Scientific Communication,That is, disseminating scientific knowledge to the public,The core goal is to convey accurate information to help people better understand the world。However,The public’s demand for the dissemination and popularization of scientific knowledge arises in the context of the decline in public trust in science,At the same time, the communication mechanism of social media has expanded the spread of errors and false information,These factors have led to divisions and misunderstandings between the public and science。In such an environment,The challenge for science communicators is to ensure that critical scientific information is accessible to the public,And make it practical。They need to convey the truth、Accurate scientific knowledge at the same time,Fighting the proliferation of false information,Avoid challenges such as exacerbating existing social tensions and conflicts。This requires science communicators to not only have professional scientific knowledge,Communication skills and sensitivity are also required,To build public trust and promote harmonious interaction between science and society。Around the current importance of science communication、Challenge、Issues such as effective strategies,Our reporter interviewed Michael D. Jones, professor of public policy and public affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville、Professor Steven Cooke, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Canada, and Sebastian Jon Holmen, postdoctoral fellow, Department of Communication and Arts, Roskilde University, Denmark。

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In the past, science communication mainly relied on teachers、Professional science writers and journalists, etc.,They are good at bet365 live casino games turning complex scientific concepts into engaging、In a form easily understood by the public。Today,The platform for scholars to communicate with the outside world is not only academic journals and academic conferences,They can also communicate science to the public on many media platforms,Therefore, science communication has become a job within reach of every scholar。

From the perspective of the audience,The public’s desire for scientific knowledge has never been more urgent。Cook told this reporter,Science communication plays a vital role in ensuring that the public and policymakers are aware and informed of many issues, their latest developments and supporting evidence,In the current context,Science communication can help people understand issues such as climate change、Biodiversity、Frontier Technology、Human health and other important issues。

Holman thinks,The importance of science communication can be understood from different perspectives。First,High-quality science communication can enable the public to have a better understanding of science,In a world filled with misinformation,This is undoubtedly a worthy goal。Secondly,Scientific communication is also beneficial to the development of science itself,It increases public trust in scholars and academic institutions,Contributes to increasing scientific funding, etc.。

Jones elaborated on the importance of science communication from the perspective of narrative framework。He said,Scientific communication ensures that the most cutting-edge scientific knowledge can be popularized to the public。Jones and Deserai Anderson Crow, associate professor at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, study narrative policy frameworks in their study of telling persuasive science stories,The frame consists of characters、Environment、Composition of plot and moral elements,Influencing the public’s perception of reality。Simplifying complex ideas and phenomena through bet365 Play online games narrative,The proliferation of false information、It is particularly important in the post-truth era when trust in science is fragile。

  Scientific communication faces many difficulties

Although science communication is particularly important now,But the practical process is very difficult。Cook said,The biggest challenge facing science communication is the issue of trust,Because people live in an environment full of false information,Science communicators need to present themselves as honest and trustworthy in front of the public。

Holman told reporters,Science communication faces two major challenges。First,Some goals set for science communication are mutually exclusive。For example,Improving citizens’ scientific knowledge will lead to more negative attitudes toward science。Secondly,Science communicators often do not use precise wording to express their ideas,Making it difficult to evaluate the communication effect。

Jones believes that the complexity of scientific information is a major challenge,Science communication needs to simplify these complex information,Yet scholars are not trained to translate scientific findings into understandable narratives。In addition,Most scholars have never received professional training in science communication,Therefore their communication effect is very limited。Jones’ research shows,Effective narratives need to resonate with the audience’s values ​​and cultural background,Because when the public accepts scientific information,Not based solely on objective scientific evidence,Their personal beliefs and emotional understanding of the world also play a powerful role。This requires science communicators to help the public understand scientific issues from a more humane level,This also further increases the complexity of scientific communication work。Jones also added,False information is spreading rapidly on social media and digital platforms nowadays,Making inaccurate or misleading narratives about scientific knowledge appear more attractive,Only developing bet365 live casino games professional science communicators can help mitigate these challenges。

Jones also mentioned the “boomerang effect” in science communication in the interview,Also known as the "backfire effect",That is, the work of refuting rumors may sometimes backfire,It will further expand the spread of rumors,Because people are always more willing to believe in their own opinions,Tend to deny supporting evidence that contradicts one’s own views。For example,In spreading knowledge about climate change,If the content is too radical and aggressive,Not only is it not conducive for people to accept this information,On the contrary, it will deepen people’s suspicion。To reduce this effect,Science communicators need to construct more effective narrative methods based on respecting the audience’s existing concepts and values,By getting close to the characters and scenes in life,Presenting scientific knowledge in an engaging way,Resonate with the audience。

Holman talks about,Some science communication models believe that,What the public needs to be convinced by scientific results or theories is just more relevant results and theoretical information。However, this is not the case,In some cases,Increasing the amount of science communication on specific topics such as climate change appears to lead to polarization and skepticism of public understanding of science。

Narrative frame affects communication effect

The scholars interviewed by our reporter have all participated in research on the effectiveness of scientific communication,Their understanding of what is high quality、Science stories that are conducive to communication have their own opinions。Holman discovered two paradigms of scientific communication in his research,A paradigm that considers one-way communication of scientific information from experts to the public as the appropriate means of science communication,Another paradigm considers the public、Dialogue and communication between experts and decision-makers are more effective。To this,Cook thinks,Good science stories get people Bet365 app download thinking and taking action。Science communication should not be just a one-way flow from scholars to the public,It should be a two-way interaction,Let communicators and the public communicate and learn from each other,This is a mutually beneficial process。Holman thinks,Whether a real-life example of science communication or a more general science communication strategy works,Depends on what one hopes to achieve through this communication。

Jones described what he believed to be effective science communication cases based on personal experience。He mentioned the profound impact that the TV documentary "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage" hosted by American astronomer Carl Sagan had on his obsession with astronomy in elementary school。He thinks,Constructing a compelling narrative is key to effective science communication。

In the study of Jones and Crow,They use the narrative policy framework to explore issues of science communication effectiveness。Jones told reporters,The framework emphasizes fundamental elements such as appeal and understandability。First,This framework requires communicators to recognize the meaning of narrative,Recognize that you should take on the role of narrator to create authentic and engaging stories。Second,Narrative must adhere to the principle of accuracy,Based on the best available results,and verified through rigorous methods。Third,Build the background,Comprehensive review of relevant literature,Start from facts and emotions,Also respect the values ​​of the audience,Construct a narrative that aligns with their values。Fourth,Clearly define the problem that needs to be addressed,Show the reasons and development process,Direct public attention to feasible solutions based on scientific evidence。Fifth,Identify the characters in the narrative,Who are the “victims” that help inspire sympathy、Who is the "villain" who bears responsibility、Who is the “hero” who clearly proposes a solution。Sixth,Clear moral stance,Ensure the narrative is clear。

Jones uses this framework to analyze Sagan’s Cosmos: bet365 best casino games A Personal Travels,You can see how Sagan managed to maintain factual accuracy,Create narratives that resonate globally。Jones said,Sagan recognized that science communication should be narrative,Based on both accuracy and appeal。His narrative is based on rigorous scientific methods,Have credibility and reliability。Obviously Sagan has a deep understanding of the relevant literature,Also understand the values ​​of potential audiences,Such as curiosity about the unknown universe、Awe of the spectacular universe,And the thirst for knowledge,His carefully crafted narratives tap into these values,Depicting scientific exploration as a noble pursuit,It not only satisfies people’s curiosity,It also enriches people’s understanding of the universe。In this documentary,Sagan described cosmic phenomena as profound challenges to humankind’s long-term survival,Tracing its history,Introducing scientific discoveries related to the universe to the audience。In his narrative,The role of the scientist is a hero exploring the universe who is characterized by curiosity and rigor,Helps inspire audiences’ passion for scientific exploration。

Cook thinks,Some scholars are happy to share their views through social media,Some scholars are more interested in face-to-face communication activities,Therefore, scientific communication work should first determine the communication channels,The second is the communication goal,Finalized in limited space、How to better attract audiences with capabilities and resources。Cook believes that science communicators need to understand the characteristics of their audience,Include background knowledge、World view、Personality preferences, etc.,And which scientific knowledge is more suitable for the audience。He also mentioned diversity、A comprehensive communication method may be more effective,If you publish a paper、Blog post、Social Media SMS、Press releases, etc.,Making bet365 best casino games scientific knowledge accessible to diverse audiences,Thus improving the communication effect。Cook also recommends that scholars integrate science communication programs into their own research plans,For example, recording the research process,Because the process of human exploration of science is interesting enough in itself。

Editor: Zhang Jing
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