Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2023 Annual Meeting of the APS Mid-Atlantic Section
Friday–Sunday, November 3–5, 2023; University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
Session G03: Physics Education and Outreach
9:00 AM–10:36 AM,
Sunday, November 5, 2023
University of Delaware
Room: Gore 116
Chair: Qi Lu, Delaware State University
Abstract: G03.00002 : PhyStory: Connecting science to the public through their stories
9:36 AM–9:48 AM
Presenter:
Arthur K Pallone
(Penn State Harrisburg)
Author:
Arthur K Pallone
(Penn State Harrisburg)
Folk physics, known as naïve physics, guides individuals’ perceptions about how the world functions. It is rooted in their daily experiences and shared stories. While experiences are based on observations, conclusions based on observations can be incorrect due to incomplete or inaccurate information. The concept that something must push on an object to cause it to move persists among many persons even though they know of friction for example. This is a form of misinformation.
PhyStory presents an opportunity to counter both misinformation and disinformation through listening first. We can connect to an individual at a human level by showing a genuine interest in their life as told by them through their story. We keep them engaged by asking them about one specific event or moment in their story and their understanding of the reason the event occurred the way it did. In doing so, we show that we value them as a person. We then show an appreciation for how they arrived at their understanding based on their experiences, thus acknowledging their perspective and opening the possibility for dialog. It is in that moment that we can introduce a new perspective with corrected physics if needed, and through that dialog, begin to rebuild trust in scientists and science.
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