The Internet provides a multitude of information on science related issues, e.g. in Web 2.0 applications such as blogs or wikis. This research project focuses on how laypersons deal with user-generated content on controversial scientific issues. Based on insights of the first project phase, five experimental studies will be conducted to address remaining questions on processes of selection and, especially, how attitudes are formed through scientific information. In particular, this project will analyze to what extent the tendency to select complex, two-sided information (Winter & Krämer, 2012) has an influence on attitude formation and whether recipients take into account that scientific findings are complex and tentative. In addition to the variation of text form (one-sided and assertive vs. two-sided and balanced) and source expertise, the recipients’ characteristics (cognitive capability, educational background, epistemological beliefs) will be included. Based on the results of the studies of the first and second project phase, a detailed model of selection, information processing and attitude formation with regard to online science information will be developed. This will be used to derive methods to increase individual media competence – the effectiveness of these measurements will be tested empirically.
Publications:
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Rösner, L., & Neubaum, G. (2015). Don’t keep it (too) simple: How textual representations of scientific uncertainty affect laypersons’ attitudes. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 34, 251-272. doi: 10.1177/0261927X14555872
Winter, S., & Krämer, N. C. (2014). A question of credibility – Effects of source cues and recommendations on information selection on news sites and blogs. Communications – The European Journal of Communication Research, 39, 435-456. doi: 10.1515/commun-2014-0020
Krämer, N. C. & Winter, S. (2014). Selektion und Rezeption von wissenschaftsbezogenen Informationen aus dem Internet – Entwicklung eines theoretischen Modells und Implikationen für instruktionale Settings. Unterrichtswissenschaft – Zeitschrift für Lernforschung, 42, 39–54.
Winter, S. (2013). Lost in Information? – Sozialpsychologische Aspekte der Selektion und Rezeption von journalistischen Online-Angeboten. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
Winter, S., & Krämer, N. C. (2012). Selecting science information in Web 2.0: How source cues, message sidedness, and need for cognition influence users’ exposure to blog posts. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 18, 80-96. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01596.x
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Appel, J., & Schielke, K. (2010). Information selection in the blogosphere – The effect of expertise, community rating, and age. In S. Ohlsson & R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings of the 32nd annual conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 802-807). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Conference Contributions:
Krämer, N. C. & Winter, S. (2015, Oktober). Keine Angst vor Komplexität – Wie Laien mit konfligierenden Wissenschaftsinformationen im Internet umgehen. Vortrag bei der Abschlussveranstaltung des DFG-Schwerpunktprogramms „Wissenschaft und Öffentlichkeit“, Münster.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Straßmann, C. & Lang, T. (2015, Januar). Who’s right: The author or the audience? Effects of user reactions on the perception of science blog articles. Vortrag bei der Jahrestagung der Ad-Hoc-Gruppe Wissenschaftskommunikation der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft. Jena.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C. & Straßmann, C. (2014, September). Einspruch aus dem Publikum: Der Einfluss kritischer Nutzerreaktionen auf die Rezeption von Wissenschaftsblogs. Forschungsreferat beim 49. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs). Bochum.
Winter, S., Rösner, L., Neubaum, G., Krämer, N. C., & Straßmann, C. (2014, May). When science bloggers persuade the audience – Effects of message sidedness, author expertise, and reader characteristics on attitudes toward scientific topics. Presentation at the conference of Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST). Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Neubaum, G. & Rösner, L. (2014, Februar). Making Sense of Science Blogs: Effekte von ein- und zweiseitigen Online-Artikeln und Quellenangaben auf die Einstellungsbildung zu Wissenschaftsthemen. Vortrag bei der Jahrestagung der Ad-Hoc-Gruppe „Wissenschaftskommunikation“ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft. Zürich, Schweiz.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Neubaum, G., Rösner, L., Straßmann, C., & Sauer, V. J. (2013, September). How persuasive are science blogs? Effects of message sidedness, source expertise, and reader characteristics on attitude formation toward scientific debates. Presentation at the 8th conference of the media psychology division of the German Psychological Society DGPs. Würzburg, Germany.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Rösner, L., & Neubaum, G. (2013, June). Don’t keep it (too) simple – How representations of scientific uncertainty in online articles affect laypersons’ attitudes. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association. London, UK.
Rösner, L., Winter, S., Krämer, N. C. & Neubaum, G. (2012, September). Searching for credible information – Effects of source cues and community ratings on the selection of science articles on news sites and in blogs. Forschungsreferat (SPP-Panel) beim 48. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs). Bielefeld.
Winter, S., & Liang, Y. (2012, May). The influence of source reputation and user statements on the perception of online news articles. Presentation at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA). Phoenix, USA.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Neubaum, G., Rösner, L., & Appel, J. (2012, May). Selecting science information in Web 2.0: Effects of personality characteristics, source cues, and message complexity. Presentation at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA). Phoenix, USA.
Winter, S., & Krämer, N. C. (2012, April). Coping with information overload: How laypersons select science-related content in Web 2.0. Presentation at the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) conference. Florence, Italy.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Neubaum, G., & Appel, J. (2011, August). Lost in the Web? – The effect of information complexity and cognitive abilities on the selection of online science articles. Presentation at the 7th conference of the media psychology division of the DGPs. Bremen, Germany.
Krämer, N. C., & Winter, S. (2011, June). The effects of message complexity and source information on the selection of online science articles. Presentation at the DFG-NSF conference “Public understanding and public engagement with science”. New York, USA.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Appel, J., Schielke, K., & Neubaum, G. (2011, May). The influence of information complexity on the selection of online science articles. Presentation at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA). Boston, USA.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Appel, J., & Schielke, K. (2011, May). A question of expertise: How heuristic source cues influence selective exposure to online science information. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA). Boston, USA.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Appel, J., & Neubaum, G. (2011, March). Both sides of the story? – How information complexity influences the selection of online science articles. Presentation at the General Online Research (GOR) Conference. Düsseldorf, Germany
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Schielke, K. & Appel, J. (2010, September). Der Einfluss der Quelle auf die Auswahl von Wissenschaftsinformationen in Blogs. Poster beim 47. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPS). Bremen.
Winter, S. & Krämer, N. C. (2010, July). Science Information in the Internet – The Effect of Source Cues on Selective Exposure. Presentation at the Conference “Science and the Public”. London, UK.
Winter, S., Krämer, N. C., Schielke, K., & Appel, J. (2010, June). Credibility in the Blogosphere – Source Effects on the Selection of Online Science Information. Presentation at the Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA). Singapore.
Winter, S., Appel, J., Schielke, K., & Krämer, N. C. (2010, May). Who‘s an Expert in the Web? Source Effects on the Selection of Online Science Information. Presentation at the General Online Research (GOR) Conference. Pforzheim, Germany.
Applicant
Prof. Dr. Nicole Krämer
Fachgebiet Sozialpsychologie: Medien und Kommunikation
Abteilung für Informatik und Angewandte Kognitionswissenschaft
Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften
Universität Duisburg-Essen
Forsthausweg 2
47048 Duisburg
Tel.: +49 203 3792482
nicole.kraemer@uni-due.de
website
Research Interest:
Computer-mediated communication
Social psychological aspects of web 2.0
Social comparison via media
Nonverbal communication
Human-computer-interaction
Staff
Stephan Winter
Fachgebiet Sozialpsychologie: Medien und Kommunikation
Abteilung für Informatik und Angewandte Kognitionswissenschaft
Fakultät für Ingenieurwissenschaften
Universität Duisburg-Essen
Forsthausweg 2
47048 Duisburg
Tel.: +49 203 3792442
stephan.winter@uni-due.de
website
Research Interest:
Web 2.0
Information processing
Impression management
JournalismWeb 2.0