Science Communication

We Are Born Storytellers

Like any other type of communication with a meaningful message, science communication can take many forms. It doesn’t necessarily have to be boring or dry.

Stories are a fundamental part of who we are; we are born storytellers. We still read novels, enjoy movies, and appreciate art, because stories convey emotions. Emotions fill us with the sense of connection to others.

Here is an interesting notion, supported by modern linguistic research, that phenomena which are more tangible and clearly defined than emotions become sources for metaphors that have emotions as their targets.

We use these clearer phenomena as sources for metaphors to describe our emotions.

For example, when I say ‘I am hungry for knowledge,’ I am using the metaphor of hunger to express a strong desire to learn and acquire information. This phrase suggests not only a yearning for intellectual growth but also conveys a sense of urgency and necessity, similar to the physical need for food.

We can say both emotions and meanings come from the same process.

In this article, I settle on the aspects of the existing science that seem most useful in that case—centering on relational frame theory (RFT) and the body of research it includes on metaphor.

And we need both. We need our communication tools and we need the kind of scientific knowledge that empowers their effective use.

Metaphors Are Everywhere

Did you know that the language of science is largely metaphorical?

Effective communication is about crafting context-based ongoing storytelling. The way we communicate with each other, be it orally or visually, is very much dominated by metaphors.

To deliver our messages we use metaphors so much in everyday language in connection not only with other phrases or gestures but also with social, cultural, and communicative contexts that we often don’t even notice them.

Awakening Imagination

Metaphors can engage us in actions, help us think more deeply, and make sense of the world around us.

Now, as we face new realities, it is more important than ever that we continue to cultivate new ways of understanding the world. And inviting people to engage in experiential exercises is a typical way of creating effective metaphors that would lead to a change.

Why not communicate in a way that inspires the wandering of the mind and senses to awaken the power of imagination—the very distinctive feature that makes us human, but sometimes forgotten.

The Perspective of Neural Science

Think from the perspective of neural science. The only thing in the universe that knows the universe exists is the mass of cells floating in our heads. The brain uses the memory-based model to make continuous predictions of future events. It builds the model of the world by using maplike reference frames.

Here, RFT provides a very simple explanation: we learn from childhood a specific skill that enables us to relate phenomena to each other independently of their properties. We relate relations. And to be more precise we relate relational networks.

Even our earliest experiences shape not only what we remember but also how we remember and how we shape the narrative of our lives. We can see memory as the way the brain encodes elements of experience into various forms of representation.

The narrative process is one way the brain attempts to integrate these varied representations and mental models—to make sense out of nonsense. In this view, information is a pattern of energy with symbolic value. This is “energy in formation” that re-presents the world.

Anatomie d’une Langue

A universal, natural experience supports this: when we encounter something new, we always interpret it in relation to something already known.

If the unknown is a word, we seek other words through which to understand it. If the unknown is an event or an experience, we place it in relation to similar occasions through which we may make sense of it. This is absolutely fundamental.

Even human behavior not traditionally considered verbal often seems to originate from metaphors and analogies, such as gestures or facial expressions.

This view also illustrates that the line separating literal and metaphorical language is not always clear-cut. It implies that understanding language requires considering context. What might be seen as a strict difference can vary based on interpretation or situation.

To gain a deeper understanding of this concept, I highly recommend watching the French drama film “Anatomie d’une chute,” directed by Justine Triet. This film beautifully explores the complexities of communication and the nuances of meaning, making it a thoughtful resource for examining how context shapes our understanding of language. You can find more information about the film here.

Finally, we could put it simpler: the ability to symbolize (to have one thing stand for another) is the rudiment of language.

Without this ability, language as we know it would not exist.

Vivre à Métaphorville: Social Phenomena

Leveraging this unique ability, the arts have the power to create emotional connections between the public and research topics. This, in turn, fosters a collaborative atmosphere that can ‘activate science’ in a completely different way.

In this context, I explore the phenomenon of cinema in my article, which solely focuses on its impact.

Here I refer to a quick summary: emotions fill us with the sense of connection to others; we use metaphors to describe our emotions; both emotions and meanings come from the same process.

Research shows that learning through the affection domain, in contrast to the cognitive domain, increases motivation. This means that using the arts to communicate scientific knowledge in this way could dramatically enhance engagement.

The Dynamic Process of Emoting

Acclaimed professor of psychology Batja Mesquita emphasizes that emotions should be seen as engagements with the world. She argues that this conceptualization goes beyond merely stating that emotions can be communicated with others or that they often arise in social situations. Instead, she highlights that emotions are inherently social phenomena that both create and are shaped by relationships in the moment.

This aligns with the notion of emoting, which focuses on the dynamic process of expressing and experiencing emotions in context. Emoting reflects the relational aspect of emotions, emphasizing that it is not just about individual feelings but is deeply embedded in the interactions and cultural settings that influence emotional experiences.

By understanding emoting, we can appreciate how emotions function within social frameworks, adapting and evolving based on the surrounding context.

The complexity of scientific topics often requires skilled communicators who can translate technical jargon into accessible and meaningful content for diverse audiences.

Successful examples of such effective communication demonstrate that scientific literacy in society can contribute to economic growth and individual well-being.

Given that emotions are often central to psychotherapy, it makes sense that metaphors are more commonly used in psychotherapeutic conversations. This is particularly true compared to many other situations in which we communicate with each other.

I propose that when science communication leans into the domain of affection—sooner or later, as a vital skill for both scientists and communicators—this will inevitably foster a more informed society, driven by intelligence, knowledge, aesthetics, accountability, and a desire to understand the world.

For these reasons, professor Batja Mesquita asks us to reconsider emotions through the lens of what they do in our relationships, especially within larger social networks.

Simply because it is the way we are. Through the timeless workings of metaphorical art, we can still emotionally connect with people across the centuries!

A Very Scientific Artist

Science communication is indeed becoming more popular and prioritized in recent years. Hopefully, this emerging phenomenon will attract more imaginative artists.