Love Science? Love Selfies? Support a new project exploring perceptions of scientists on Instagram!

Hi! I wanted to thank you again for supporting my research project to learn more about science blog readers. You helped fund an Experiment.com project that recently resulted in a downstream publication in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, titled Science in the Social Media Age: Profiles of Science Blog Readers. (PDF available here!)

Today I've launched a new project with a team of researchers and science communicators from LSU, Berkeley, University of Toronto and University of Delaware! We are interested in whether scientists might be able to improve stereotypes that they are competent, but not necessarily very warm, through Instagram content (including, yes, the infamous selfie!)

Follow us on Instagram! @scientistselfies 

We will be conducting a series of lab-based and online survey experiments to test how scientists' Instagram posts can change Instagram users' perceptions of scientists and their trustworthiness. We've recruited more than 50 scientists to help us produce Instagram content, including pictures of science by itself (beakers filled with chemicals, scientific specimens, microscopes, etc.) and pictures that include both science and either the male or female face of the scientist. We will use these images to test whether the presence of a human face and other humanizing factors in scientists' Instagram posts can change people's perceptions of scientists' competence and warmth.

 

Example of an image series that may be used to test differences in how people perceive scientists on Instagram based on the characteristics of their Instagram posts!

You've helped make my research possible before, and I'd love to have your support again! My new project, To Selfie or Not to Selfie - How Can Scientists Foster Public Trust on Instagram?, launched today on Experiment.com! Please check it out, share it and help us reach our funding goal! We have ton of cool perks for backers, including t-shirts, science fashion boxes, personalized resume editing and social media advice services, custom scientific illustrations, social media plans and more!

Learn more at experiment.com/scientistselfies!