scholarly journals Capturing the many faces of an exploded star: communicating complex and evolving astronomical data

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (05) ◽  
pp. A02
Author(s):  
Lisa Smith ◽  
Kimberly Arcand ◽  
Randall Smith ◽  
Jay Bookbinder ◽  
Jeffrey Smith
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Object A ◽  
Cassiopeia A ◽  
The Public ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
The Face ◽  
Final Item ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
The Many

This study explored how different presentations of an object in deep space affect understanding, engagement, and aesthetic appreciation. A total of n = 2,502 respondents to an online survey were randomly assigned to one of 11 versions of Cassiopeia A, comprising 6 images and 5 videos ranging from 3s to approximately 1min. Participants responded to intial items regarding what the image looked like, the aesthetic appeal of the image, perceptions of understanding, and how much the participant wanted to learn more. After the image was identified, participants indicated the extent to which the label increased understanding and how well the image represented the object. A final item asked for questions about the image for an atronomer. Results suggest that alternative types of images can and should be used, provided they are accompanied by explanations. Qualitative data indicated that explanations should include information about colors used, size, scale, and location of the object. The results are discussed in terms of science communication to the public in the face of increasing use of technology.

Effects of gender harassment on science popularization behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 718-728
Author(s):  
Lisa McDonald ◽  
Chantal Barriault ◽  
Thomas Merritt
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Gender Harassment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Science Popularization ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Clothing Choices

In this pilot study, we used a mixed methods online survey to ask science popularizers how gender harassment influences the way they communicate science to the public. Popularizers reported that gender harassment caused the science popularization field to increasingly strive for gender inclusivity in the creation of content. However, harassment made female popularizers feel they must emphasize their legitimacy, quite conscious of their clothing choices, and wary of engaging the public through mediums or topics that provoke more severe harassment. Implications for science communication and public engagement are discussed.

scholarly journals Facial Feminization Surgery Changes Perception of Patient Gender

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 703-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Fisher ◽  
Stephen M Lu ◽  
Kevin Chen ◽  
Ben Zhang ◽  
Marcelo Di Maggio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hormone Therapy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Confidence Score ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Female Hormone ◽  
The Public ◽  
Patient Gender ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Face

Abstract Background The goal of facial feminization surgery (FFS) is to feminize the sexually dimorphic characteristics of the face and enable transwomen to be correctly gendered as female. Studies have demonstrated high patient satisfaction with FFS. However, the correct gendering of patients after FFS has never been objectively studied. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine if FFS changed the perceived gender of patients in the public eye. Methods An online survey platform with control photographs of cis-gender males and cis-gender females as well as preoperative and postoperative FFS patients was created. Respondents were asked to identify patients as “male” or “female” and to assign a confidence score ranging from –10 (masculine) to +10 (feminine) (n = 802). Results Cis-gender male and female controls were gendered correctly 99% and 99.38% of the time and with a confidence metric (CM) of –8.96 and 8.93, respectively. Preoperative FFS patients were gendered as female 57.31% of the time with a CM of 1.41 despite hormone therapy, makeup, and hairstyle. Postoperative FFS patients were gendered as female 94.27% of the time with a CM of 7.78. Ninety-five percent of patients showed a significant improvement in CM after FFS. Conclusions This study illustrates that FFS changes the social perception of a patient’s gender. Patients after FFS are more likely to be identified as female and with greater confidence than before surgery. This is despite preoperative female hormone therapy, and nonsurgical methods that patients use to feminize their appearance. Level of Evidence: 4

scholarly journals The Bureau and the Realism of Spy Fiction

2022 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-249
Author(s):  
Pauline Blistène
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
Common Language ◽  
Ordinary Sense ◽  
Ordinary Experience ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
The Many ◽  
Serial Fiction ◽  
Narrative Conventions

Abstract This article addresses the issue of realism in relationship to contemporary serial fiction. Drawing on The Bureau (Canal+, 2015–2020), it argues that spy TV series are “realistic” not because they correspond to reality but because of their impact on reality. It begins by giving an overview of the many ways in which “realism,” in the ordinary sense of a resemblance with reality, served as the working framework for The Bureau’s team. It then identifies three distinct types of realisms in the series. The first is a “fictional realism,” namely the ability of The Bureau to conform to the aesthetic and narrative conventions of realistic fictions. The second type of realism, which I qualify as “ordinary,” refers to the possibilities offered by the show’s aesthetics and the enmeshment of The Bureau with viewers’ ordinary experience. The third type of “performative realism” refers to the series’ impact on shared representations and reality. By providing a common language about the secret activities of the state, The Bureau has gone from being a framed version of reality to being one of the defining frameworks through which state secrecy is experienced both individually and collectively, by insiders and the public at large.

scholarly journals Public behaviour in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: understanding the role of group processes

BJPsych Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Drury ◽  
Holly Carter ◽  
Evangelos Ntontis ◽  
Selin Tekin Guven
Keyword(s):  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Mutual Aid ◽  
The Public ◽  
Identity Processes ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Many

Background In the absence of a vaccine, behaviour by the public is key to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, as with other types of crises and emergencies, there have been doubts about the extent to which the public are able to engage effectively with the required behaviour. These doubts are based on outdated models of group psychology. Aims and argument We analyse the role of group processes in the COVID-19 pandemic in three domains: recognition of threat, adherence by the public to the required public health behaviours (and the factors that increase such adherence) and actions of the many community mutual aid groups that arose during lockdown. In each case, we draw upon the accumulated research on behaviour in emergencies and disasters, as well as the latest findings in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, to show that explanations in terms of social identity processes make better sense of the patterns of evidence than alternative explanations. Conclusions If behaviour in the pandemic is a function of mutable group processes rather than fixed tendencies, then behavioural change is possible. There was evidence of significant change in behaviour from the public, particularly in the early days of the pandemic. Understanding the role of group processes means we can help design more effective interventions to support collective resilience in the public in the face of the pandemic and other threats. We draw out from the evidence a set of recommendations on facilitating the public response to COVID-19 by harnessing group processes.

Formative Justice: The Regulative Principle of Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Robbie McClintock
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
The Public ◽  
Educational Effort ◽  
Regulative Principle ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Material Goods ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Many ◽  
Background Context ◽  
Reflective Essay

Background/Context Concepts of justice relevant to making personal and public decisions about education. Purpose To clarify a concept of formative justice that persons and the public often ignore in making decisions about educational effort. Setting “The windmills of your mind.” Research Design Reflective essay. Conclusions/Recommendations • Problems of justice arise whenever persons and polities cannot have it all, whenever they must choose between competing “goods,” positive or negative. • Different types of justice arise because persons and polities have to make constrained choices between different types of goods—with distributive justice, they allocate scarce material goods and benefits among many claimants; with social justice, they reconcile conflicting rights and responsibilities; with retributive justice, they determine sanctions and punishments; and with formative justice, they channel effort to pursuing particular possibilities out of the many open to them. • Problems of formative justice arise because persons and polities always face the future and find more potentialities unfolding before them than they have the energy, time, ability, and wherewithal to fulfill. They must choose among their purposes and allocate effort and attention to pursuing their potentials. In doing so, they form their unfolding lives. • Conceptions of formative justice concern principles with which persons and polities choose their controlling aspirations and allocate effort towards their fulfillment. • Formative justice is difficult because persons and polities always face an indeterminate future, one fraught with uncertainties. In the face of indeterminacy, they must irrevocably make their formative choices, hoping these will prove both successful and sustainable. • Formative justice is important because persons and polities will suffer or enjoy, as the case may be, the capacities for feeling, thought, and action by which they live.

scholarly journals A survey to gather perspectives of DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance-funded researchers on public engagement with science

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 269
Author(s):  
Sarah Iqbal ◽  
Banya Kar
Keyword(s):  
Public Engagement ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Funding Agency ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Structural Support ◽  
Professional Recognition ◽  
Science Funding ◽  
Public Engagement With Science

Lately, the Indian research ecosystem has seen an upward trend in scientists showing interest in communicating their science and engaging with non-scientific audiences; however, the number and variety of science communication or public engagement activities undertaken formally by scientists remains low in the country. There could be many contributing factors for this trend. To explore this further, the science funding public charity in India, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance (India Alliance), in a first of its kind of study by a funding agency in India, surveyed its 243 research grantees in November 2020 requesting their views on public engagement with science in India through an online survey. The survey included both quantitative as well as open-ended questions to assess the understanding of, participation in, and attitude of India Alliance Fellows/Grantees towards public engagement with research, identify the enablers, challenges, and barriers to public engagement for India Alliance Fellows/Grantees, understand the specific needs (training/capacity-building, funding, etc.) and develop recommendations for India Alliance as well as for the larger scientific ecosystem in the country. The survey showed that India Alliance grantees are largely motivated to engage with the public about science or their research but lack professional recognition and incentives, training and structural support to undertake public engagement activities.

NUCLIO science communication: an ongoing effort to spread the word

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Saraiva ◽  
Teresa Direitinho ◽  
Rosa Doran
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
The World ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
International Projects ◽  
Important Player ◽  
Technological Means ◽  
Environmentally Sound ◽  
The Many

<p>In the early 2000’s, a group of astronomers working in Portugal, aware of the deficit in science literacy in the country, decided to create an organization devoted to science communication and outreach. And so, NUCLIO was born. Naturally, the early efforts of this group were focused in the field of astronomy, but soon other fields were included in the endeavour. Through the years, NUCLIO grew and became an important player in the field of education, joining many international projects and creating links with educational institutions all over the world.</p> <p>Early in its history, NUCLIO created Portal do Astrónomo, a portal with many diverse sections, trying to spread information by translating news, giving space to scientists to talk about their research and fields of interest, answering questions from the public, and using the available technological means to reach its audience. Given the scarcity of Portuguese-language sites disseminating science, the Portal collected large numbers of readers, namely in Brazil.</p> <p>In recent years, with the advent of PLOAD (Portuguese Language Office of Astronomy for Development), a new need was felt: reaching out to the Portuguese-speaking communities in Africa and elsewhere. Tightening collaboration with other communicators in Brazil and African countries has become a goal for NUCLIO and the Portal. Another goal is becoming more involved in the efforts to make people all over the world aware of the need to protect the planet and its global environment, and of the fact that we all belong to one and the same species, facing a common future.</p> <p>The current Portal features Space Scoop and other astronomical news translations, but also original contributions in columns such as the Theme of the Month and others, where different science themes are tackled; the target audience is now mainly teachers and students, given the closer ties with this field, and the fact that new groups directed at the general public have come into existence.</p> <p>We are striving to become ever more inclusive and global (recently we started including English versions of some texts in the Portal), and to take advantage of new tools for communication, like producing webinars and online courses. A new section was recently created where simple astronomical challenges are proposed, demanding some interaction and commitment from the readers.</p> <p>In the meantime, NUCLIO has also invested in social media, creating connections between the Portal and Facebook, for instance. Thus, the publications in Portal can reach new audiences and in fact help in weaving a close network between the many projects in which NUCLIO is involved and the public.</p> <p>We feel that in this globalized but increasingly selfish world it is still important to spread information about science, and at the same time consolidate and educate the audience, so that a more informed public can become aware of the role of science and education in reaching a sustainable and solidary society and an environmentally sound planet.</p>

scholarly journals Attitudes, Concerns, and Expectations of Consumers of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery During the COVID-19 Outbreak: An Italian Online Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Melfa ◽  
Bruno Bovani ◽  
Pierfrancesco Cirillo ◽  
Matteo Tretti Clementoni ◽  
Alessandro Gennai
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Physical Appearance ◽  
Security Protocols ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
Aesthetic Medicine ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
E Mail ◽  
Italian Territory

Abstract As a consequence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, Italian physicians working in the field of aesthetic medicine and surgery considered appropriate to stop their activity in order to preserve patients’ safety. This drastic measure obviously had an important impact on the medical aesthetic market causing growing concerns. To catch the current attitudes of the Italian consumers toward the aesthetic medicine and surgery, a medical advisory board devised an online survey; 216 clinicians finally participated in this survey and sent the online link through e-mail. A total of 8080/8640 (93.5%) questionnaires were returned, while 70 were removed. Approximately 49.0% (n = 3944) did not feel influenced in their desire for aesthetic treatments in spite of the pandemic emergency. Being influenced was not correlated with the uneven situation experienced on the Italian territory (r = −0.30, P = 0.196); 45.4% (n = 3636) declared to be ready for rescheduling their visit, and 60.5% (n = 4844) declared that they want to allocate the same amount of resources as before. The most missed aesthetic treatment was the face (71.1% [n = 5696]). Approximately 47.0% (n = 3759) and 46.0% (n = 3679) will come back to their physician without any request or with the need for an explanation about the security protocols, respectively. Approximately 40% (n = 3314) declared that their physical appearance affects their mood fairly, 27.0% (n = 2168) strongly or very strongly, and 71.3% (n = 5708) declared physical and/or psychological decline. Looked at together, the results give us some optimistic predictions, and, therefore, the authors are confident that their patients will come back to their clinics without any particular issues. However, ensuring patient safety must be our paramount task.

scholarly journals Public perspectives and media reporting of wolf reintroduction in Colorado

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Niemiec ◽  
Richard E.W. Berl ◽  
Mireille Gonzalez ◽  
Tara Teel ◽  
Cassiopeia Camara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Media Coverage ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The State ◽  
Management Options ◽  
The Public ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
The Media ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Many

In the state of Colorado, a citizen ballot initiative to reintroduce gray wolves (Canis Lupus) is eliciting polarization and conflict among multiple stakeholder and interest groups. Given this complex social landscape, we examined the social context surrounding wolf reintroduction in Colorado as of 2019. We used an online survey of 734 Coloradans representative in terms of age and gender, and we sampled from different regions across the state, to examine public beliefs and attitudes related to wolf reintroduction and various wolf management options. We also conducted a content analysis of media coverage on potential wolf reintroduction in 10 major daily Colorado newspapers from January 2019, when the signature-gathering effort for the wolf reintroduction initiative began, through the end of January 2020, when the initiative was officially added to the ballot. Our findings suggest a high degree of social tolerance or desire for wolf reintroduction in Colorado across geographies, stakeholder groups, and demographics. However, we also find that a portion of the public believes that wolves would negatively impact their livelihoods, primarily because of concerns over the safety of people and pets, loss of hunting opportunities, and potential wolf predation on livestock. These concerns—particularly those related to livestock losses—are strongly reflected in the media. We find that media coverage has focused only on a few of the many perceived positive and negative impacts of wolf reintroduction identified among the public. Our findings highlight the need to account for this diversity of perspectives in future decisions and to conduct public outreach regarding likely impacts of wolf reintroduction.

scholarly journals Explainers of science centres and museums: a study on these stakeholders in the mediation between science and the public in Brazil

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (02) ◽  
pp. A01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrystian Carlétti ◽  
Luisa Massarani
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Young People ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The Public ◽  
High School Certificate ◽  
Science Centres ◽  
Brazilian Science ◽  
Practice Of Science

In this paper, we investigate who are the explainers who work is Brazilian science centres and museums. We used an online survey, which was answered by 370 people from 73 institutions out of a group of 200 scientific and cultural centres. Our results indicate that most of these professionals are young people between 18 and 25 years old, they hold a high school certificate or are attending university, and they have been working in this field for less than five years. Only a fifth declared that they had done professional training before starting their activities; about 60% said that they are not prepared to attend to disabled visitors. We believe that our study will improve the practice of science communication, contributing to the creation of training and professional courses.

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