THE POWER OF NUMERIC EVIDENCE IN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Tay Gavin Erickson Lecture Series 

THE POWER OF NUMERIC EVIDENCE IN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Challenges exist in presenting numeric information in science communication. For example, public innumeracy—and experts’ concerns about providing numbers—suggest not showing them. On the other hand, people often prefer getting them and their provision can increase comprehension, trust, engagement, and healthy behaviors while reducing risk overestimates and supporting decision-maker autonomy. Presenting numeric facts without considering their comprehensibility and usability though is like throwing good money after bad. Thus, we’ll briefly examine three general strategies for nurturing comprehension and use of numbers in other people. 

Dr. Ellen Peters is Philip H. Knight Chair and Director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon where she holds joint appointments in the School of Journalism and Communication and the Psychology Department. She studies the psychology of human judgment and decision making and its links with effective communication techniques. She has published more than 190 peer-reviewed papers and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and other organizations. She has also worked extensively with federal agencies to advance decision and communication sciences in health and health policy and received an NIH Group Merit Award. 

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