Conferences about topics which pull at the heart: A Mind Genomics exploration

Abstract

The objective of this study was to understand how ordinary people react to information about conferences. The study is part of the Mind Genomics exploration of the world of the everyday. Respondents evaluated systematically created vignettes about conferences, with the elements of the vignettes presenting information about the topic of the conference, the way the material is presented to excite emotions, the way the facts are presented, and the after-conference activities, respectively. The study introduced the assessment of interactions between ideas in a vignette (scenario analysis). The results suggest three clearly different mind-sets; those who focus on the topic, those who focus on the nature of the presenter, and those who focus on the after-conference activities. These three mind-sets distribute similarly in the population. The study presents a PVI, personal viewpoint identifier, allowing a conference planner to understand the mind-set to which members of the prospective audience may belong, which knowledge may produce a more impactful conference.