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“You can’t persuade someone you don’t respect”. That attention-grabbing statement was only one of many uttered by Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Professor of Communication and Director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, speaking at a colloquium held at the National Academy of Sciences in September in Washington DC. According to the Science Academies, the colloquium was organized because topics critical to the welfare of society are suffering from ineffective communication.

Keynote Talk

Social, behavioral, and decision scientists presented on “The Science of Science Communication” to help attendees better understand the complexities of successful science communication. The keynote address entitled“ Responding to the Attack on the Best Available Evidence” was given by Jamieson who tried to help her audience understand how scientists can communicate with the public in situations where trust has been lost, scientists are accused of not being impartial, and the public itself has come to see the facts through a partisan lens.

Topics such as communicating uncertainty, belief and attitude formation about science topics, and social networks were also discussed. On the third day, participants had the option to attend concurrent workshops on climate change, evolution, obesity/nutrition, and nanotechnology.

Jamieson’s prescription for improved communication involves efforts to breakdown the partisan filters that prevent persons from being able to see evidence more objectively. Techniques useful for this purpose include the use of evocative narratives and the use of clarifying metaphors.

The “Lock-Down” Metaphor

Jamieson’s example of such a “lock-down” metaphor is likening global warming to a driver in a car in the habit of traveling slightly above the speed limit. It does not mean that the speed itself will be the cause of a future accident, but it suggests that speeding makes it more likely that something else encountered such as an oil spot on the road will cause an accident. And if so, the accident will be more calamitous. This helps

explain the difficult concept to grasp that because of global warming, the number and severity of weather events will increase, though not all such events will be caused by global warming. Not an easy concept to get across without an effective or “lock-down” metaphor, according to Jamieson.

More Prescription

Her prescription also includes speaking with a respectful voice, using impartial rhetoric, and envisioning the audience as an intelligent one worthy of engaging. This is the section of her talk where she stated “you can’t persuade - Science cont'd on page 7

someone you do not respect”.

Common Premise

She noted the importance of finding common ground with the audience, finding a common premise on which to build communication. Without this common premise she said, effective communication is not possible. “The audience has to invest meaning for the communication to work,” said Jamieson.

By way of summary, Jamieson repeated that effective communication requires establishing that scientific consensus exists on an issue, establishing the credibility of experts based on past successes, and countering the partisan filter. This latter achievement requires explaining what we know and how we know it, employing evocative narrative, and using clarifying metaphors. Succeeding in communication, according to Jamieson, means we as a society will be more likely to lead the kind of lives that are compatible with good science.

Scientists and Policy World

During the question and answer period, Jamieson was asked if scientists should become more conversant with values so as to be more effective in disputes about evidence. She made a distinction between scientists operating in the world of science trying to describe what we know and how we know it from the world of policy where participants are debating alternatives for action. She said the expertise in these two worlds was different, and appeared to be discouraging scientists from entering the policy world because it risks the credibility of the scientists.

A second questioner followed up to ask if

Jamieson was really saying that making recommendations on the basis of evidence such as might occur for vaccines known to be effective was off limits for scientists. She said this was a “fuzzy area”, but said the case for vaccines should be made on the merits of evidence for safety and efficacy. Whether or not the government should mandate vaccines or pay for vaccines is another matter, she said, and appeared to call that off limits for scientists.

Minority Views

Another provocative question was asked about when it was appropriate or acceptable to ignore minority views since it is widely accepted that there will always be such a minority in a democracy. Jamieson answered that in a democracy we can resolve disputes or get consent by counting votes. She did not answer directly the question of what to do about minority views. She added that very often the goal may be to persuade one person with the power to decide and not 51% of any group since the power may actually reside in that president, governor, or other official.

Interested readers can view videos of the first two days of presentations at: http://tinyurl.com/me49gmd The Jamieson video is at the beginning of day two events. ■

Some of Their Parts

Our crossword puzzle was created by by Dr. Richard Dicker A former CDC employee and not-quite-retired epidemiologist. For an online version go to: https://bit.ly/3qlz2bP For the solution to April’s crossword please go to page 18.

- Crossword Questions cont'd on page 9

Across

1. Actress Merrill

5. Microwave, colloquially

8. Where the Jordan FETP is based

13. One of the items Abraham smashed in his father's shop

14. "Our late local news is ____ 11"

16. Type of periodic table gas

17. Carcinoma-in-

18. Other, to Pedro

19. Accommodate

20. It was originally part of C.D.C.

23. Edison's Park

24. Muppet who had his own world

25. Org. whose symbol is 5 interlocking, colored rings

28. It's part of E.I.S.

31. Mark Tatulli's comic strip

34. One part of its case definition is CD4 count < 200 cells / mm2

35. Almond ___ (candy)

36. It’s part of M.I., for short

38. It's part of D.P.T.

41. They play in Flushing, NY

42. School of Public Health accrediting org.

43. Middle word of palindrome about Elba

44. Word after oral or poster

49. RR stop

50. Rhine tributary

51. In the 60's, it was between sex and rock-and-roll

54. It’s part of 65-Across

57. What general manager of 41-Across does several times a year

60. Bulls or Bears

61. West Africa FELTP country

62. They are alive with the sound of music

63. Lidl's German rival

64. Red pen task in hard-copy days

65. EIS counterpart based in Stockholm

66. Word after amniotic or alveolar

67. ___ about (roams)

Down

1. The vinyl kind can skip, the lumbar kind can slip

2. "I’m pulling your leg" for example

3. "I didn't do it!"

4. Boosters, often

5. Type of One Health outbreak

6. It’s part of the ANA test

7. Packages

8. Boomer-era device type

9. Most common value in a frequency distribution

10. Emory's Goizueta or NYU's Stern degree

11. Matterhorn, e.g.

12. Celtic rival

15. Willie Nelson's words before "the girls I've loved before"

21. Funny bone nerve

22. Its formula is kg / m2

25. "_____ ear and out the other"

26. Happen

27. Word with desist

29. NYC's summer hrs.

30. Victorian, for one

31. Favors one leg

32. Another name for 16-Across gas

33. Frequently

37. Biblical beast

38. Important Vietnam holiday

39. It’s part of E I S

40. Pricker

42. Some students study in these

45. First name of Old Man and the Sea author

46. Betel, e.g.

47. Greek letter that represents an angle

48. Spice depicted on Grenada's flag

52. Celebrity chef who shares last name with Hollywood mogul grandfather

53. State of H2O below 0°C.

54. Word before "hands" in Proverbs and "brain" in Ya Got

Trouble that equals the devil's playground

55. All-Star Reds outfielder Pinson

56. Targets of lice comb

57. Word before Ohio State University

58. Tear

59. He was once Cassius Clay

Editor's Note: All of us are confronted with more material than we can possibly hope to digest each month. However, that doesn't mean that we should miss some of the articles that appear in the public media on topics of interest to the epi community. The EpiMonitor curates a monthly list of some of the best articles we've encountered in the past month. See something you think others would like to read? Please send us a link at info@epimonitor.net and we'll include it in the next month

Public Health Topics

♦ Emerging Evidence of an Impending Parkinson’s Disease Pandemic (AAAS.com – Eureka Alert) https://bit.ly/43sCkbI

♦ Research reveals one key process everyone can follow to prevent Alzheimers (The Independent – England) https://bit.ly/3IMCaUK

♦ The Lancet corrects the obituary of John Snow (Knight Science Publishing – MIT) https://bit.ly/43A2idz

♦ The groundbreaking plan to map the entire human immune system (Freethink) https://bit.ly/3MwNh5e

♦ Drug resistant ringworm reported in the US for the first time, community spread likely (ARS Technica) https://bit.ly/3OL4Z7M

♦ Yet another Victorian disease is making a comeback in the UK – here’s the reason why (HuffPo) https://bit.ly/43tloSv

♦ Bacteria killing material could eliminate hospital superbugs. (Physics) https://bit.ly/3WHDAFF

♦ The looming superbug crisis and how to beat it (Newsweek) https://bit.ly/3qg1eNu

♦ CDC warns that mpox cases may increase this spring, summer (USA Today) https://bit.ly/3qg1hsE

♦ Bird Flu’s surge has scientists seeking clues to prevent the next pandemic (Bloomberg) https://bit.ly/3BYYs1B

- Reading cont'd on page 11