Who Are the Science Audiences? A Typology Study on Digital Scientific Audiences: Persona, Performance, and Public

Abstract

This study uses a quantitative research approach to investigate public engagement regarding online science communication from the perspectives of digital scientific story audiences ( n = 240). It explores their frequency of engagement, preferred aspects of scientific news and communication channels, and their community regarding scientific literacy, together with their willingness to engage online. It attempts to provide theoretical explanations of the similarities and differences among science audiences’ behaviors and explore the role of the community in influencing public engagement with online science. The data suggest the emergence of four audience types; this diversity of audience types gives a more comprehensive understanding of the public’s social needs and preferences with science.