{"title":"The Efficacy of Social Media Communication in Engaging Citizen Scientists: Insights From the Jozi Bee Hotel Project","authors":"Natasha Shilubane, Mehita Iqani, Chevonne Reynolds","doi":"10.1177/10755470241234623","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241234623","url":null,"abstract":"The Jozi Bee Hotel Project recruited Johannesburg residents to help gather data on solitary bee abundance. They were motivated and guided by a strategic communications campaign. This study explores social media’s impact on the citizen scientists’ project involvement, particularly their interaction with visual elements of the communications campaign. Analysis of engagement metrics reveals that social media played a crucial role in sustaining volunteer participation. This demonstrates that a well-executed, ongoing social media campaign has the power to maintain participant engagement throughout the duration of a research project. It suggests that a consistent, long-term social media strategy can drive citizen science participation.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140149309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On the Motivations to Seek Information From Artificial Intelligence Agents Versus Humans: A Risk Information Seeking and Processing Perspective","authors":"Wang Liao, William Weisman, Arti Thakur","doi":"10.1177/10755470241232993","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241232993","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates how anticipating an artificial intelligence agent versus human information source moderates the risk information seeking and processing model. It focuses on a behavioral proxy of seeking intention—how long a participant waited for an online consultant whose identity was manipulated. In two samples ( N<jats:sub>1</jats:sub> = 182 students and N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> = 800 mturkers), the source identity consistently moderated the model in two ways: First, informational subjective norms encouraged seeking from humans but discouraged seeking from AI agents. Second, information insufficiency drove favoritism toward humans–when perceived information-gathering capacity was high. When the capacity was low, AI agents were favored.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140105966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah Hartley, Aleksandra Stelmach, Chris Opesen, George Ladaah Openjuru, Stella Neema
{"title":"Talking About Gene Drive in Uganda: The Need for Science Communication to Underpin Engagement","authors":"Sarah Hartley, Aleksandra Stelmach, Chris Opesen, George Ladaah Openjuru, Stella Neema","doi":"10.1177/10755470241234048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241234048","url":null,"abstract":"Uganda may host the world’s first field trials of gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control. Global North discourses pre-suppose African publics have access to information about gene drive and are ready to make decisions about its governance. We explore assumptions about the availability of this information in Uganda. We find a paucity of information available combined with a strong desire for information from lay publics. We discuss these findings in the context of Ugandan information infrastructures and political sensitivities to genetic technologies. If Ugandans are to decide about gene drive, they need independent information about the science to underpin engagement.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140106026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tipping the Scales of Psychological Reactance: A Closer Look at Imperative Language and the Role of Epistemic Certainty","authors":"Callie Kalny, Nathan Walter","doi":"10.1177/10755470241231289","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241231289","url":null,"abstract":"Psychological reactance is a key construct in persuasion, but experimental inductions often confound imperative language with epistemically certain language (i.e., language that belies grounds for doubt). Two online experiments examine the effects of each language type on indicators of psychological reactance across two scientific contexts. In Study 1 ( N = 274), imperative language increased felt anger and perceived threat to freedom, while epistemically certain language did not. In Study 2 ( N = 402), epistemically uncertain language attenuated felt anger and perceived threat to freedom. Findings offer theoretical and practical insight into the effects of each language type on resistance to persuasion.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140074940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Differentiated Trust Strategies and Rebellious Acceptance: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of the Trust Strategies Used by Scientist Communicators and Citizen Science Communicators in Chinese Online Climate Communication","authors":"Zheng Yang, Tao Yang","doi":"10.1177/10755470241230487","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241230487","url":null,"abstract":"Trust is a core issue in online climate communication where communicators are found to be diverse. This study explores the trust strategies used by different communicators and their audience acceptance in climate communication on Zhihu through Qualitative Comparative Analysis. The results indicate there are structured differences in the trust strategies adopted by scientist communicators and citizen science communicators when facing climate change issues. In terms of audience acceptance, audiences have shown considerable initiative and exhibited an acceptance characteristic with certain Chinese cultural features which highlights the context of acceptance in the research and practices of trust issues in climate communication.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140045663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Artificial Intelligence: The Roles of Social Media Exposure and Information Elaboration","authors":"Wenbo Li, Shan Xu, Xia Zheng, Ruoyu Sun","doi":"10.1177/10755470241232352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241232352","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined how social media influence the knowledge gap between low and high socioeconomic status (SES) groups in artificial intelligence (AI), a highly debated scientific subject warranting immediate scholarly attention. A national survey of U.S. adults ( N = 965) was conducted. The results showed that education and social media exposure to AI information (SME) predicted greater AI knowledge, and SME did not moderate the SES-based AI knowledge gap. Furthermore, information elaboration moderated the association between SME and the AI knowledge gap. SME was associated with a smaller AI knowledge gap when information elaboration was high rather than low.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140036630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining Muslims’ Opinions Toward Cultured Meat in Singapore: The Influence of Presumed Media Influence and Halal Consciousness","authors":"Shirley S. Ho, Stanley Arvan Wijaya, Mengxue Ou","doi":"10.1177/10755470231225684","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470231225684","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines how halal consciousness acts as a precursor to the influence of presumed media influence model to explain Muslims’ views (i.e., attitudes and behavioral intentions) toward cultured meat. A survey of 658 Muslim Singaporeans found that halal consciousness positively correlated with Muslims’ attention to media messages on the benefits of cultured meat, which subsequently shaped their presumed attention to these messages by family members, friends, and social media influencers. Presumed attention from family members and social media influencers was positively associated with Muslims’ attitudes toward cultured meat and subsequently their consumption intentions. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140004835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bonnie M. McGill, Taiji Nelson, Mary Ann Steiner, Nicole E. Heller
{"title":"Shifting Climate Communication Narratives Toward Actions and Futures in a Rural Area of Appalachia","authors":"Bonnie M. McGill, Taiji Nelson, Mary Ann Steiner, Nicole E. Heller","doi":"10.1177/10755470241227443","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241227443","url":null,"abstract":"An urban natural history museum and university partnered with rural conservation organizations to support a climate learning network in southwestern Pennsylvania, a region with a fossil fuels heritage. Network members recognized the urgent need to address climate change at the system scale and wanted to talk about climate action, but they had doubts about what climate actions to take, how much their actions matter (efficacy), and whether it was necessary to talk about climate change directly. Future visioning showed promise as a tool for identifying compelling actions and expanding participants’ climate narratives to embrace systemic climate action.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139953067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Overcoming Confirmation Bias in Misinformation Correction: Effects of Processing Motive and Jargon on Climate Change Policy Support","authors":"Yan Huang, Weirui Wang","doi":"10.1177/10755470241229452","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241229452","url":null,"abstract":"A 2 (jargon vs. no jargon) × 3 (motive: control vs. accuracy vs. impression) between-subjects experiment examined the impact of jargon and processing motive in correcting climate change misinformation and promoting policy support. The results revealed a positive effect of jargon use when participants were asked to focus on accuracy during information processing. This effect was mediated by reduced anger, increased systematic processing, and enhanced perceptions of message credibility. However, jargon had a negative effect when no specific motive was induced, and it did not make a difference in correction outcomes when participants were asked to focus on making positive social impressions. These findings provide theoretical implications for information processing and practical insights for addressing misinformation in the context of climate change.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139953194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How Does VR Affect Emotional Appeal and Persuasiveness of Gain Versus Loss-Framed Messages?","authors":"Mengqi Liao, Pejman Sajjadi, S. Shyam Sundar","doi":"10.1177/10755470241229453","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241229453","url":null,"abstract":"Can virtual reality (VR) lead to more desirable persuasion effects than videos in communicating the science of contentious issues like climate change? And, will these effects differ between messages that offer hope versus fear? We addressed these questions with a 2 (Modality: Desktop VR vs. Unidirectional video) × 2 (framing: Gain vs. Loss) between-subjects experiment ( N = 130), and found that VR triggered more fearful responses, which in turn led to more persuasive outcomes. It also increased individuals’ attitudes toward climate change mitigation policy when the experience was loss-framed, but backfired when the experience was gain-framed. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.","PeriodicalId":47828,"journal":{"name":"Science Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139953066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}