Communicating and conducting modern consciousness science

Abstract

In this article, I discuss recent media attention paid to consciousness research through coverage of the “25 years of consciousness” event at the 2023 Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness annual meeting, including:NatureScienceThe EconomistThe New York TimesScientific AmericanScienceAlertTheDebriefNewScientistNautilusI present critical additional context to these pieces, including how they should be considered in the broader field of consciousness studies, and how the field is perceived by funders and the general public. My two primary arguments are that the field is richer and more complex than some recent media portrays, and that skepticism about the rigor of the field – fueled in part by oversimplification in some media reports – places great pressure on trainees’ professional prospects. I feel it is critical to expand on current reporting with additional nuances that I can share from my own involvement in the field, in order to avoid public misperception of the results discussed at this event.