I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "We all know that false or misleading science headlines are all too common these days and that misleading media combined with an apathetic and undereducated public leads to widespread ignorance. But the real question is, how can this trend be reversed? New studies say that what matters most is how the information is portrayed. While people are willing to defer to experts on matters of low concern, for things that affect them directly, expertise only counts for as much as giving off a 'sense of honesty and openness,' and that it matters far less than creating a sense of empathy in deciding who people will listen to. In other words, when reporting on a scientific matter not widely known, like the impending ferret disaster, it's not enough to merely report on it as an expert. You need to make sure your report exudes a sense of honesty, openness, empathy, and maybe even a hint of humor."
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