Communicating about renewable energy with satire: The influence of gentle and harsh humor tones on perceived message credibility and information reliance

Freiling, I., Cacciatore, M. A., Su, L. Y.-F., Yeon, J. (PhD student), Park, S. (PhD student), Du, W., Zhang, J. S., Yeo, S. K., & Siskind, S. (2024). “Communicating about renewable energy with satire: The influence of gentle and harsh humor tones on perceived message credibility and information reliance.” Science Communication. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470241293361

Abstract: Satire is often used in science communication, but it is unclear how it influences perceptions of message credibility and reliance on the information. We examine how two satire types (gentle, harsh) influence perceived message credibility and information reliance, which we define as using the information in discussions or for attitudinal and behavioral changes. Using a partial mediation model, we found no effects of gentle satire, but harsh satire negatively influenced message credibility, which was positively linked to information reliance. Contrary to previous research, we found that the satire type matters. Practical implications include being cautious when using harsh satire.