Motivations and deterrents in contemporary science communication: A questionnaire survey of actors in seven European countries

Wilkinson, Clare; Milani, Elena; Ridgway, Andy; Weitkamp, Emma

Abstract

As the ecosystem of actors communicating science has become more complex, there is a need to understand the motivations and deterrents of those involved in the communication of science, technology and health topics. This article reports on a survey of 465 communication actors based in seven European countries. The findings suggest strong commonalities between role and country, with personal enthusiasm a key motivator, and from a theoretical perspective, these motivations can be viewed as relatively pragmatic. More variation was found between countries and roles in barriers to communication, though these suggest a perception that institutions do not value this work.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 19, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Nov 2, 2022
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 19, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 8, 2022
• Journal: International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement
• Print ISSN: 2154-8455
• Electronic ISSN: 2154-8463
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 131-148
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2022.2139165
• Keywords: Science communication, motivation, professional development
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10099269
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21548455.2022.2139165