In the academic world, the term “science communication” refers both to a set of professions (such as science journalism and public information work) and to an interdisciplinary scholarly research specialization. Much of this research is aimed at improving our understanding of the best ways to communicate complex information, especially to people who are not scientists. In order to do this, we also need to improve our understanding of how people think, form opinions, and process information. Additionally, professional practitioners in science communication are engaged in strategic and ethical decisions every day, such as: How should reporters cover the issue of climate change? Should the views of scientists who do not believe that climate change has been caused by human activity be included alongside the views of those who do, in order to give a “balanced” story, or does this mislead the public into thinking that both of these positions are equally accepted within the scientific community?
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