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Report / May 31, 2023

Combating Misinformation: How to Talk about Science

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Combating Misinformation: How to Talk about Science

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Three Framing Recommendations

Give examples of science solving problems.

“Scientific research led to the addition of a raised position brake light on cars, which has saved countless lives.”

Explain rather than persuade.

“Brain architecture develops early, shaping the foundation of lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing.”

Lead with a broadly resonant and shared principle.

“We can all agree that reducing gun violence is an important goal that we should work toward.”

Examining our cultural mindsets—the deeply-held, broadly-shared patterns in thinking that shape how we see the world—can help us understand not just what, but how people think about science.

The choices we make in what we say and how we say it can determine which of those mindsets are activated when we speak. Better framing can help us activate productive mindsets and more effectively counter misinformation.

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