Who Isn’t Biased? Perceived Bias as a Dimension of Credibility in Communication of Science with Policymakers
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The Science Communication Project @ISU was founded in 2010 with the goal of enhancing collaborative research on, education for, and the practice of public science communication, broadly conceived. Our biennial symposia- which include public presentations of multidisciplinary research and interactive workshops- bring together a network of scholars who share interests in public engagement of science, environmental communication, natural resource management, and agriscience. Conference proceedings showcase research, evaluations, and critiques of science communication-related practices and phenomena.
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Identifying the determinants of success in communicating scientific information for use in policymaking has been a topic of longstanding interest for many fields. Perceptions of message and messenger credibility are recognized in many disciplines as key to information receptivity, and subsequent changes in attitudes, by decision-makers. Bias also appears as a component of credibility, but is not theoretically well-defined, and its effects can appear inconsistent. This study—comprised of interviews with congressional staff members with energy, environment, and science portfolios (n=16)—finds that perceptions of bias and expertise play a critical role in the way in which policymakers evaluate scientific information sources, building on early research on credibility and opinion change.