Research > Research literacy

Research literacy and User-Friendly Research Support

Aims and scope

The aim of our research is to support research literacy and evidence-based thinking in both (future) scientists and laypeople. For this purpose, we explore the development of competencies and beliefs which are needed to adequately evaluate and use scientific information:

  • Which knowledge and skills do people need to draw valid conclusions from existing scientific evidence?
  • How good are people at weighing contradictory evidence from multiple sources?
  • How can individuals’ epistemic beliefs, i.e., their ways of thinking about the nature of knowledge and knowing, be changed through interventions?
  • What are the predictors of individual trust in science?

Among others, the results of these studies are used to design research infrastructures which support people in finding and evaluating scientific information. For this reason, our research unit leads a cross-functional working group on user experience and user studies regarding the ZPID products.

Contact person

Dr. Tom Rosman
Acting Head of Research Literacy

+49 (0)651 201-2284

Doctoral and master theses at ZPID

Selected publications

Schneider, J., Rosman, T., Kelava, A., & Merk, S. (in press).

Do Open Science Badges Increase Trust in Scientists among Student Teachers, Scientists, and the Public?

Psychological Science.

Kerwer, M., Chasiotis, A., Stricker, J., Günther, A. & Rosman, T. (2021).

Straight from the scientist's mouth - Plain language summaries promote laypeople’s comprehension and knowledge acquisition when reading about individual research findings in psychology.

Collabra: Psychology; 7(1), 18898. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.18898

Rosman, T., Kerwer, M., Steinmetz, H., Chasiotis, A., Wedderhoff, O., Betsch, C., & Bosnjak, M. (2021).

Will COVID-19-related economic worries superimpose virus-related worries, reducing nonpharmaceutical intervention acceptance in Germany? A prospective pre-registered study.

International Journal of Psychology, 56(4), 607–622. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12753

Kerwer, M., Rosman, T., Wedderhoff, O., & Chasiotis, A. (2021).

Disentangling the process of epistemic change: The role of epistemic volition.

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12372

Rosman, T., Mayer, A.-K., Merk, S., & Kerwer, M. (2019).

On the benefits of ‘doing science’: Does integrative writing about scientific controversies foster epistemic beliefs?

Contemporary Educational Psychology, 58, 85-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.02.007

Edited volumes and series

Zeitschrift für Psychologie

Special Issue "Psychological Perspectives on Science Communication"

Call for Papers

Frontiers in Psychology, Section Educational Psychology

Associate Editor (Dr. Tom Rosman, since 2020)

Editorial Contributions

Members

Cooperation projects (selection)

Open Science and the Public's Trust in Science:

Prof. Dr. Michael Bosnjak (University of Trier, Robert Koch Institute), Henning Silber (GESIS), Tobias Heycke (GESIS)

Open Science Badges, Science Communication, and Trust in Science:

Dr. Jürgen Schneider (University of Tübingen), Jun.-Prof. Dr. Samuel Merk (PH Karlsruhe)

Person-Environment Fit in Higher Education:

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Carla Bohndick (Universität Hamburg)