Abstract
Images are pivotal to communicating science, also due to many platforms and outlets having built-in affordances to add an image when disseminating a text. This leads to images playing an essential role in shaping public understanding and trust in science. As such, images are used as illustrations of a scientific field, as representations of the scientist’s role, or as visual evidence of research findings. However, these functions of images are often contested, as visuals can both clarify and complicate the perception and understanding of scientific facts depending on their context and interpretation. This study focuses on case studies of images used to communicate science on social media platforms and digital news outlets, and how their functions are debated in the comment sections. The content analysis explores both the image-text relation of the posted image and its framing (e.g. in an article or caption), as well as user’s discussions of the image and its framing in the comment sections. Doing so, the study aims to understand how the functions of the images are being disputed in the digital realm, especially in fields like climate change, space exploration, and biomedical research, where visuals often carry heavy symbolic and emotional weight. Ultimately, this paper argues for a nuanced understanding of images in science communication that considers both their evidentiary and interpretive roles, as well as their power to shape public discourse around scientific topics.
Presenters
Charlotte BrunsPostdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Science Communication, Image-Text Relation, Images as Evidence
