Using the Zika outbreak as a context of inquiry, this study examines how assigning blame on social media relates to the social amplification of risk framework (SARF). Past research has discussed the relationship between the SARF and traditional mass media, but the role of social media platforms in amplification or attenuation of risk perceptions remains understudied. Moreover, the communication and perceptions of Zika-related risk are not limited to discussions in English. To capture conversations in languages spoken by affected countries, this study combines data in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. To better understand the assignment of blame and perceptions of risk in new media environments, we looked at three different facets of conversations surrounding Zika on Facebook and Twitter: the prominence of blame in each language, how specific groups were discussed throughout the Zika outbreak, and the sentiment expressed about genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes. We combined machine learning with human coding to analyze public discourse in all three languages. We found differences between languages and platforms in the amount of blame assigned to different groups. We also found more negative sentiments expressed about GE mosquitoes on Facebook than on Twitter. These meaningful differences only emerge from analyses across the three different languages and platforms, pointing to the importance of multilingual approaches for risk communication research. Specific recommendations for outbreak and risk communication practitioners are also discussed.

No abstract

Leading academic institutions, governments, and funders of research across the world have spent the last few decades fretting publicly about the need for scientists and research organisations to engage more widely with the public and be open about their research. While a global literature asserts that public communication has changed from a virtue to a duty for scientists in many countries and disciplines, our knowledge about what research institutions are doing and what factors drive their 'going public' is very limited. Here we present the first cross-national study of N = 2,030 research institutes within universities and large scientific organisations in Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. We find that institutes embrace communication with non-peers and do so through a variety of public events and traditional news media-less so through new media channels-and we find variation across countries and sciences, yet these are less evident than we expected. Country and disciplinary cultures contribute to the level of this communication, as do the resources that institutes make available for the effort; institutes with professionalised staff show higher activity online. Future research should examine whether a real change in the organisational culture is happening or whether this activity and resource allocation is merely a means to increase institutional visibility.

RESUMO: Neste estudo exploratório, de caráter qualitativo, objetivamos compreender a experiência de adolescentes em museus de ciência em visita fora do contexto escolar. Em particular, apresentamos a análise da visita de cinco grupos, entre 14 e 17 anos, de escolas públicas, à exposição “Passado e Presente - ciência, saúde e vida pública”, localizada no Castelo Mourisco do Museu da Vida, da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, no Rio de Janeiro. Os resultados indicam que, durante as visitas, esse público interagiu intensamente nas relações entre três elementos fundamentais no modelo teórico adotado: os módulos expositivos, os próprios visitantes e os mediadores. Esse dado, associado à análise de trechos específicos das visitas, sugere que, quando os adolescentes vão ao museu, eles podem vivenciar diversas experiências que permitem tornar esse espaço de aprendizagem não formal interessante, excitante e motivador, e, consequentemente, oferecer oportunidades de aprendizagem por livre escolha e de discussão sobre a ciência e temáticas que a tangenciam.

Resumo: Este artículo reflexiona sobre la interactividad y la experiencia de los adolescentes en museos de ciencias, a través de un estudio exploratorio y cualitativo realizado en el Centro Interactivo de Ciencia y Tecnología Abremate (Argentina). El corpus recoge el registro audiovisual de las visitas realizadas por cinco grupos de estudiantes de 14 a 17 años de escuelas públicas del conurbano bonaerense. Los datos recolectados se codificaron con una herramienta orientada a comprender procesos de aprendizaje en museos de ciencias de América Latina. El análisis indica que la interactividad está presente, principalmente, en situaciones en las que los jóvenes interactúan en simultáneo con la exhibición y entre ellos, mientras conversan sobre la manipulación de los artefactos. También se observa que hay condiciones iniciales para promover el aprendizaje de actividades que enseñen a pensar y ejercitar emociones sobre la inteligibilidad del mundo.