Understanding scientific tentativeness through bat ecology: a video-based study to promote scientific literacy in wildlife research

This study investigates how different video-based representations of scientific practice and a scientist’s thought processes influence public perceptions of credibility – both of the scientist and the research – as well as perceived tentativeness of scientific findings and academic self-efficacy. In an experimental online study with a German general population sample (N = 1,105), four videos depicting bat ecology fieldwork were tested. The videos varied in two factors: representation of scientific practices (cookbook style vs. scientific reasoning style) and portrayal of the scientist’s thought processes (science-in-the-making vs. ready-made science). Bat ecology, characterized by nocturnal behavior, complex habitats, and conservation challenges, provides a compelling context for examining the communication of uncertainty. Results show that more elaborate representations – particularly those reflecting scientific reasoning and science-in-the-making—led to higher perceptions of tentativeness. These findings underscore the importance of transparently communicating the epistemic processes of scientific knowledge construction to foster scientific literacy.