Institute for Methods Innovation, Casper, Wyoming, United States of America.
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2024 Oct 17;19(10):e0307733. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307733. eCollection 2024.
Visualizing research data can be an important science communication tool. In recent decades, 3D data visualization has emerged as a key tool for engaging public audiences. Such visualizations are often embedded in scientific documentaries screened on giant domes in planetariums or delivered through video streaming services such as Amazon Prime. 3D data visualization has been shown to be an effective way to communicate complex scientific concepts to the public. With its ability to convey information in a scientifically accurate and visually engaging way, cinematic-style 3D data visualization has the potential to benefit millions of viewers by making scientific information more understandable and interesting. Maximizing the effectiveness of 3D data visualization can benefit millions of viewers. To support a wider shift in this professional field towards more evidence-based practice in 3D data visualization to enhance science communication impact, we have conducted a survey experiment comparing audience responses to two versions of 3D data visualizations from a scientific documentary film on the theme of 'solar superstorms' (n = 577). This study was conducted using a single (with two levels: labeled and unlabeled), between-subjects, factorial design. It reveals key strengths and weaknesses of communicating science using 3D data visualization. It also shows the limited power of strategically deployed informational labels to affect audience perceptions of the documentary film and its content. The major difference identified between experimental and control groups was that the quality ratings of the documentary film clip were significantly higher for the 'labeled' version. Other outcomes showed no statistically significant differences. The limited effects of informational labels point to the idea that other aspects, such as the story structure, voiceover narration and audio-visual content, are more important determinants of outcomes. This study concludes with a discussion of how this new research evidence informs our understanding of 'what works and why' with cinematic-style 3D data visualizations for the public.
可视化研究数据可以成为一种重要的科学传播工具。近几十年来，3D 数据可视化已经成为吸引公众的关键工具。这些可视化通常嵌入在天文馆巨幕上播放的科学纪录片中，或者通过亚马逊 Prime 等视频流媒体服务提供。3D 数据可视化已被证明是向公众传达复杂科学概念的有效方法。通过以科学准确和视觉吸引人的方式传达信息，电影风格的 3D 数据可视化有可能通过使科学信息更易于理解和有趣，使数百万观众受益。最大限度地提高 3D 数据可视化的效果，可以使数百万观众受益。为了支持这一专业领域向更具循证实践的方向转变，以增强科学传播的影响力，我们进行了一项调查实验，比较了观众对科学纪录片中关于“太阳超级风暴”主题的两个 3D 数据可视化版本的反应（n = 577）。这项研究采用了单因素（两个水平：标记和未标记）、被试间、析因设计。它揭示了使用 3D 数据可视化进行科学交流的关键优势和劣势。它还表明，战略性部署信息标签对观众对纪录片及其内容的看法的影响有限。实验组和对照组之间的主要区别在于，纪录片剪辑的质量评级对于“标记”版本明显更高。其他结果没有显示出统计学上的显著差异。信息标签的有限效果表明，其他方面，如故事结构、旁白叙述和视听内容，是结果的更重要决定因素。本研究最后讨论了这种新的研究证据如何告知我们对公众的电影风格 3D 数据可视化“什么有效以及为什么有效”的理解。
