How Do Scientists Communicate on Social Media During Crisis?

Abstract

This study explores how scientists utilize social media for science communication during crises, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded in philosophical stance of sociomateriality and in affordance theory, it investigates the relational dynamics between scientists, social media platforms, and crisis contexts. In this paper, we employ a mixed-method approach that combines content analysis and network analysis to understand both what scientists communicated and with whom they communicated. Analyzing 1,761 social media activities from eight German virologists over six pandemic phases, our research reveals how scientists use social media to facilitate change during times of crisis. Also, we show that despite social media platforms afford scientists to connect with various types of groups, they primarily interacted with accounts of scientific entities. This study contributes theoretically by illustrating context-dependent, relational uses of social media affordances during crises, and practically as it enables organizations and decision-makers develop strategies for crisis contexts.