Displaying items by tag: scientific credibility

(From left) Dara Wald, associate professor, and Shumaila Bhatti, postdoctoral fellow, both in the School of Public and International Affairs. Photos courtesy of Dara Wald and Shumaila Bhatti.

In public perception of science validity, one big question: What's your motivation?

BLACKSBURG — A new study from Virginia Tech found that scientists’ credibility often hinges on their perceived motivations.

“Our study finds that perceptions of scientists’ motivation to serve the public good are the strongest predictor of whether Americans trust them, accept their information as credible, and support science-based policies,” said Dara Wald, associate professor in environmental policy and planning.

Published in Nature: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, postdoctoral fellow Shumaila Bhatti and Associate Professor Dara M. Wald, both in the School of Public and International Affairs, identified five audience “classes” based on their perceptions of scientists’ credibility: enthusiasts, optimists, moderates, skeptics, and estranged. Researchers examined each group’s likelihood of adhering to recommendations from scientists, how they were influenced by politically controversial and non-controversial topics, and their underlying demographics.

According to the researchers, the work highlights a communication gap between how scientists often view credibility – expertise – and how the public perceives it – motivations — as well as many scientists lack training in communicating their personal motivations.