Can humor make science communication more credible?

Originally posted on The Horizons Tracker.

In a previous article¹, I explored the importance of science communication, but also the gendered nature of the task, with women far more often required to do the so-called “non-promotable task” of engaging with the public.

Being able to communicate well is crucial, however, but is no easy feat. For instance, academic papers are often extremely verbose and dry, so translating those findings into prose that wider society can engage with is a key task. Research² from the University of Georgia suggests that humor can play a key role.

Cracking a joke

The study found that when researchers were able to communicate in a funny way, they were regarded as both more credible and trustworthy.

“I think this should make scientists feel more comfortable using humor in their everyday communication, especially online communication,” the researchers say. “You can still communicate using humor and be viewed as a legitimate, appropriate source of information.”

This should perhaps come as no surprise, as previous research³ from the University of Utah came to a similar conclusion. The study highlights that limited science literacy among the public, combined with a dwindling number of science journalists, has created a situation whereby it’s hard to discern fact from fiction.

Mental shortcuts

The researchers explain that the general public tends to use mental shortcuts to sift through information, with these shortcuts forged by everything from religion to political ideology. This is why misinformation is often so powerful, as it packages information in simplistic and often emotional ways.

The Georgia research underlines this. They created a number of posts to share on X (Twitter) that covered topics like AI and autonomous vehicles. Some of the posts were purely factual, while others introduced humor, such as the following caption (no comments regarding whether the below is “actually” funny):

“A car approaches from the right and begins making precautionary adjustments. The other car acknowledges it. Not a problem unless the slab of meat inside interferes with its A.I. mode.”

A third version then had the cars talking between them, sharing the facts as though they themselves were sentient, and a final version had the cars themselves telling jokes. The results show that the satirical version got the most laughs, but perhaps more importantly, was also the most believable version.

Boosting credibility

In echoes of the Utah research, this boost in credibility was hugely important as it also meant that people viewed whatever was contained in the post as a fact. As both studies highlight, this can be used for good or for ill.

“It is a double-edged sword. When people find something funny, they find things more legitimate,” the researchers explain. “However, that humor could also substitute fact when something is untrue.”

As you might expect, of course, there is humor and there is humor. The study found that when posts were too negative or contained too much sarcasm, this resulted in a drop in credibility. The challenges posed by this balancing act were underlined by a study⁴ from the University of Missouri, which found that women in particular walked a particular tightrope when it came to using humor (remember that women disproportionately engage in science communication?).

So the message seems to be, use humor, but use it mindfully and be aware of the possible drawbacks, both in terms of the actual humor used and the framing that comes with who is actually making the posts.

“Know that it can significantly increase engagement with the public, but scientists should use it cautiously,” the Georgia researchers conclude. “The last thing we want is to make scientists less likable.”

Article source: Can Humor Make Science Communication More Credible?

Header image source: Brooke Cagle on Unsplash.

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