Hocus Pocus: using comics to promote skepticism about the paranormal
Wiseman, Richard, Collver, Jordan, Worth, Rik and Watt, Caroline
(2021)
Hocus Pocus: using comics to promote skepticism about the paranormal.
Journal of Science Communication (JCOM), 20 (2).
This study investigated the potential for comics to promote skepticism about the paranormal. Participants rated their interest in comics, read a skeptical account of alleged paranormal phenomena in One of three mediums (text, comic, and comic containing an interactive magic trick), and then rated their engagement, skepticism and recall. The text was rated as more interesting and entertaining than the comics, and participants’ prior interest in comics positively correlated with engagement and shift in skepticism. This suggests that for certain cohorts, comics may be an effective way to promote engagement and attitude change. The implications for future work are considered.
Item Type | Article |
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Additional information | © The Author(s). This article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution — Non Commercial — No Derivative Works 4.0 License. |
Keywords | art and literature, informal learning, science and technology, science education, communication |
Date Deposited | 15 May 2025 15:03 |
Last Modified | 31 May 2025 00:36 |