Misinformation about science has long been a public concern and the Covid-19 pandemic and our current information ecosystem have only exacerbated this problem. In 2022, the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) initiated a consensus study on this very topic. NASEM convened an expert committee to investigate the nature, scope, and impacts of science misinformation, as well as make recommendations for interventions, policies, and future research to combat science misinformation. Committee members represented a wide range of disciplines, including the brain, behavioral, and social sciences. FABBS members Lisa Fazio, PhD (and Early Career Winner) and Asheley R. Landrum, PhD, were among those who served on the committee.
The committee conducted its work over the course of 15 months, culminating in the release of the Consensus Report on science misinformation in December 2024. NASEM hosted a Report Release Webinar on December 19th, which can still be viewed online.
In the report, the committee:
- Defines misinformation about science as “information that asserts or implies claims that are inconsistent with the weight of accepted scientific evidence at the time (reflecting both quality and quantity of evidence)” (p. 2).
- Examines the current context in which individuals interact with science information (i.e., the contemporary information ecosystem).
- Delineates sources of misinformation about science, including individuals and institutions.
- Investigates factors that contribute to the spread of science misinformation, both at the individual and societal levels.
- Examines the impacts that science misinformation has at the individual, community, and societal levels.
- Reviews the evidence for interventions intended to disrupt the spread of science misinformation, including supply-based, demand-based, distribution-based, and uptake-based interventions. Uptake-based interventions may be of particular interest to FABBS members, as these focus on reducing the effects of science misinformation on individuals’ beliefs and behaviors.
The final chapter offers 13 recommendations to better promote the spread of accurate science information. For example, the report calls on universities, researchers, and civil society organizations to proactively counter systematic misinformation campaigns (e.g., as launched by corporations) using evidence-based practices. The committee also recommends that scientific research funders and professional science organizations work together to establish and fund a consortium to identify and curate sources of high-quality science information on topics of particular interest to the public. The committee acknowledges that there is much more work to be done, both in terms of studying science misinformation and reducing its potential for harm.
[Watch the Report Release Webinar] [Read the Report Highlights] [Read the Full Report]
