The brain in the public space: social neuroscience and the media

MANTILLA MARÍA JIMENA; DI MARCO MARTIN; GOLOMBEK DIEGO

Neuroscience and Social Science: the missing link

Springer

Lugar: Luxemburgo; Año: 2017; p. 329 - 345

Here we analyze public communication of neuroscience in general, and social neuroscience in particular, as well as the circulation of its particular discourse in mass media. We discuss particular issues of neuroscience communications derived from the general framework of science popularization. As an example we offer an analysis of neuroscience coverage in a national newspaper of widespread distribution and conclude that even though social neuroscience news do not represent a significant proportion of scientific reports in the press, their importance relies on the kind of ideas that are transmitted in terms of the preponderance of brain science in order to understand social processes, especially those regarding interpersonal ties and emotional mechanisms, two concepts traditionally under the sphere of the social sciences. Finally, we offer some recommendations for bridging the gap between academic research in the field and its popularization.