Filter by author: W. Gudrun Reijnierse

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• Date of publication Jul 02, 2025 Category: Article

  The differential effects of metaphor on comprehensibility and comprehension of environmental concepts

  by W. Gudrun Reijnierse , Britta Brugman , Ellen Droog

  Metaphors are prevalent in environmental science communication, because they describe complex topics in more familiar terms. Yet, little research has investigated whether metaphors contribute to comprehension in such communication. This experiment (N=510) disentangles the effects of different metaphor types on comprehension-related outcomes for three environmental concepts (greenhouse effect, carbon footprint, greenwashing). Results showed small but statistically significant effects of some metaphors on perceived text comprehensibility and perceived comprehension, but no effects on actual comprehension. No mediation effects were attested. Science communication could thus benefit from metaphor, but communicators should be careful not to overdo it, nor to overestimate its effectiveness.

  Volume 24 • Issue 04 • 2025

• Date of publication Nov 02, 2021 Category: Article

  The matter of complex anti-matter: the portrayal and framing of physics in Dutch newspapers

  by Sanne Willemijn Kristensen , Julia Cramer , Alix McCollam , W. Gudrun Reijnierse , Ionica Smeets

  Physics is often perceived as difficult, but there has been little research on how physics is reported in the media. In this two-stage content analysis, we examine the portrayal of physics in five major Dutch newspapers. Results show that astronomy and astrophysics is the most prominent field. Furthermore, newspaper articles are triggered almost equally by scientific and non-scientific events. Finally, the majority of described physics concepts are framed as difficult, but journalists do provide explanations for them.

  Volume 20 • Issue 07 • 2021