Science communication gets personal: Ambivalent effects of self-disclosure in science communication on trust in science

J Exp Psychol Appl. 2023 Dec;29(4):793-812. doi: 10.1037/xap0000489. Epub 2023 Aug 17.

Abstract

In an attempt to display themselves as warm, approachable, and trustworthy, researchers might reveal personal details about themselves (i.e., self-disclosure) when communicating their science to the public. Here, we test whether self-disclosure in science communication can actually increase public trust in science. We present six online experiments (overall N = 2,431), integrate their results in a mini meta-analysis, and report a field experiment in a science museum (N = 480): In sum, our findings suggest that self-disclosure leads to small, but measurable increases in laypeople's feelings of closeness toward researchers and perceptions of researchers' warmth-related trustworthiness; yet, self-disclosure also leads to decreases in competence-related trustworthiness perceptions. The credibility of scientific findings was, overall, unaffected by self-disclosing communication. Findings from the field study further question whether self-disclosure in science communication has any practical relevance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

  • Affect
  • Communication
  • Disclosure*
  • Emotions
  • Humans
  • Research Personnel*
  • Science*
  • Trust*