Research with a Focus on the Users of Visual Products in Science Communication

How do Specific Design Features of Visualizations Affect User Behavior?

Melanie Keller and her team are researching the effects of certain design features on perception and behavioral processes in the context of visual science communication. The focus is particularly on emotional experience and its role in these processes. They then go on to analyze how these momentary cognitive and emotional processes contribute to long-term communication goals such as behavioral intentions or understanding. At the same time, differentiated effects are also taken into account, for example different previous experiences, understanding or aesthetic preferences among the audiences. The results should contribute to an evidence-based design and optimization of visualizations.

How can Behavioral Intentions be Strengthened through Emotional Appeals?

Fear appeals are a frequently used strategy in science communication. In her dissertation, Lisa Kaspar wants to explore how behavioral intentions can be reinforced by fear appeals. For example, she is examining susceptibility to a communicated threat, in particular the experience of fear and hope, and how this influences users’ behavioral intentions. She also looks at the severity of the communicated threat and the self-efficacy of being able to do something about the threat. For her study, she uses a visual essay (VE) that we have developed specifically for research into various issues.

How can we Visualize Scientific Uncertainty?

Uncertainty is omnipresent and unavoidable in science. For people from outside the scientific community, however, this is difficult to understand. This non-understanding of uncertainty is a challenge for science communication. We want to address the issue by creating and testing visual representations of uncertainty. For this purpose, Stephan Reiche compares different forms of visualization of uncertainties such as error bars or percentiles in his dissertation. He wants to use data visualizations to test whether the uncertainty representations influence user behavior and thus also have an impact on understanding.

What Needs do Young Audiences have and how can we Win them Over for Science Communication?

Ilka Parchmann focuses on a young audience. In particular, she is investigating what specific needs young people have in terms of visual science communication and in what ways we can meet these better. The aim is to work with the target group to develop and use tools that get young people excited about science and communication.