Third-person perception of science narratives: The case of climate change denial

• Main Authors: DAHLSTROM, Michael Field, ROSENTHAL, Sonny
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2018
• Subjects: climate change; narrative persuasion; narrativity; social distance; third-person perception; Environmental Sciences; Place and Environment
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/188; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/cis_research/article/1187/viewcontent/dahlstrom_rosenthal_2018_third_person_perception_of_science_narratives_the_case_of_climate_change_denial__1_.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Science communicators are increasingly recognizing the potential of narratives to reach and influence audiences. However, do audiences recognize and consider this tactic when evaluating how such messages influence themselves and others? This study compares third-person perceptions of persuasive narrative and nonnarrative messages in a climate change context. Results suggest that individuals are aware of the influence of narratives and are able to resist this influence, but this is only when they perceive a message as having negative influence. Otherwise, individuals underestimate the influence of narratives on themselves. These findings add an audience-centered perspective to the current discussions on incorporating narratives within science communication.