Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
13:44
Project-Based Learning Guidelines for Health Sciences Students: An Analysis with Data Mining and Qualitative Techniques
Published on: December 9, 2022
4.2K
Caveats in science-based news stories communicate caution without lowering interest
Lewis Bott1, Luke Bratton1, Bianca Diaconu1
1School of Psychology.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied
|June 28, 2019
Summary
Science writers can include caveats in health news to convey scientific caution without losing reader engagement. Studies show that adding phrases like "further research is needed" does not impact interest or comprehensibility.
Area of Science:
- Media and Communication
- Health Behavior Research
- Science Journalism
Background:
- Media portrayals of science significantly influence public health behaviors.
- Effective science communication requires balancing scientific caution with reader engagement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if including caveats in science news affects perceptions of caution and reader engagement.
- To determine if caveats hinder or help the coherence and comprehensibility of science stories.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted, involving participants reading news reports with and without caveats.
- Participants assessed researcher confidence, report interest, and comprehensibility.
- A simulated newsroom experiment with journalism students evaluated newsworthiness judgments.
Main Results:
- News reports with caveats were perceived as more cautious than those without.
- Caveats did not negatively affect reader interest or the comprehensibility of the reports.
- Neither caveats nor headline qualifiers influenced newsworthiness judgments in the mock newsroom.
Conclusions:
- Science writers can incorporate caveats into news reporting to signal scientific caution.
- The inclusion of caveats does not appear to disengage readers or reduce news uptake.
- Findings support the use of caveats for accurate science communication without compromising accessibility.
Related Concept Videos
03:28Vapor Pressure Lowering
30.7K
The equilibrium vapor pressure of a liquid is the pressure exerted by its gaseous phase when vaporization and condensation are occurring at equal rates:
30.7K
01:03Communication
8.7K
Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.
8.7K
01:28Communication
9.5K
Sharing information, concepts, and emotions to foster mutual understanding is communication. The sender, recipient, and transaction must be considered in this manner. The sender is the person who shares the message, the recipient is the person who receives and understands the message, and the transaction is the method used to deliver the message and the variables that affect the communication's context and surroundings. The nurse-client connection is built on therapeutic communication.
9.5K
01:13Psychology as a Science
3.8K
Psychology, as a scientific discipline, aims to understand the mind and behavior through rigorous and systematic methods. The foundation of psychological research is evidence-based, relying heavily on the scientific method to derive and validate knowledge. This structured approach ensures that findings are reliable, valid, and applicable to broader contexts.
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
3.8K
01:20Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents
1.3K
Hyperlipidemia, a medical condition often referred to as high cholesterol, is characterized by abnormally elevated levels of lipids in the bloodstream. When present in excess, these lipids, specifically cholesterol and triglycerides, can lead to serious health complications, often involving cardiovascular diseases. Illnesses like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and pancreatitis have all been linked to untreated hyperlipidemia. This means controlling and regulating cholesterol and triglyceride...
1.3K
01:19Overview of Biostatistics in Health Sciences
4.8K
Biostatistics involves the application of statistical techniques to scientific research in health-related fields, including biology and public health. These techniques are essential for designing studies, collecting data, and analyzing it to draw meaningful conclusions. Given the complexity of biological processes, particularly in studies involving human subjects, biostatistical methods are crucial for effectively organizing and interpreting data that might otherwise obscure underlying patterns...
4.8K