Initiated by a meeting at the 53rd DGPs Congress 2024 in Vienna, the DGPs interest group "PsyComm" on science communication in psychology was founded among the members of the German Society for Psychology (DGPs). Junior Professor Dr. Marlene Altenmüller from the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID) was a founding member and is now co-speaker of the group together with Dr. Friederike Hendriks, Junior Research Group Leader in the Institute for Communication Science & Institute of Educational Psychology at the Technical University of Braunschweig.
The DGPs interest group PsyComm wants to bring together psychological science communication research and practice. It aims to compile evidence and expertise on the topic, jointly create more visibility for it, and start new projects.
The exchange between science and society has become increasingly important in recent years. Scientific evidence - also from psychology - informs the solution of complex topics and societal challenges such as the covid pandemic or the climate crisis. To be heard, however, science needs to communicate effectively and prevail against mis- and disinformation as well as politically motivated influence. Psychological research can make a decisive contribution to understanding how science communication can be successful.