Communicating scientific findings with the public: The effects of phrasing on correcting health misconceptions

Abstract

By its nature, scientific understanding is subject to change, as methods to study a phenomenon become more refined. How can scientific findings be conveyed to the general public when segments of the public may hold on to beliefs unsupported by science? We examined this problem by considering how individuals correct health misconceptions in response to differently phrased explanations of scientific knowledge. The results from two experiments showed that while explanations containing more tentative phrases characteristic of scientific communication (e.g., evidence suggests) were effective, those containing more assertive phrases (e.g., this is proven) were the most effective for updating lay knowledge. Furthermore, relative to the more tentative phrasing, the more assertive phrasing was judged as more convincing and conveying higher confidence. These findings demonstrate the need to determine more effective methods of communicating and conveying confidence in scientific findings.