When Scientists Share Their Struggles: How Scientists’ Self-Presentation on Social Media Influences Public Perceptions, Support for Science, and Information-Seeking Intentions

Casual recommendations for scientists to “be human” and to “bring the public alongside the scientific process” have generated plethora of such interactions on social media. This study explores different self-presentation tactics, like sharing their research successes and failures, or contextualizing their research process, on how scientists and science issues are perceived by the public. In an online between-subjects experiment (N = 1,843), participants rated scientists who shared their failures as more benevolent and open, and as having more integrity, than those who only shared their successes. These perceptions further increased support for science and information-seeking intentions. The findings highlight how scientists’ self-presentation on social media can influence important science communication outcomes.