Kritische Interaktionssituationen in der Wissenschaftskommunikation – eine empirische Studie

Abstract

This article is based on a research project on the text competence of early career researchers in the natural sciences with regard to science communication. In this context, narrative interviews were conducted in 2018–2019 with 17 experienced scientists in order to gather information about their experiences in press and media work. Using a methodology based on the psychology concept of “critical incidents”, types of situations that were perceived as critical by the scientists were reconstructed from the interviews. The results were presented to science journalists at Science Media Germany (Cologne) for comment. The aim of this reconciliation was to do justice to both groups of actors and their different perspectives and discourse practices. In a finale step we derived communication recommendations that should help to avoid communicative conflicts within science communication. The article summarizes the results and classifies the critical interaction situations according to a situational model that distinguishes between setting (time and medium), issue and topic, interaction roles, interaction goals, prior knowledge, and linguistic form. It thus serves as a scientific supplement to a practical brochure, open access published in 2023 under the title no:crisis – Notes on critical interaction situations in science communication.