How sure are we about what we do and do not know? As our lives are increasingly quantified, we know more about the risks that we face, but we also know more about where evidence is lacking or uncertain. What visual, numerical or analogical tools can (1) help people to get a sense of the evidence and its implications, and (2) what is the impact on informed decision-making? The Risk and Evidence Communication group researches ways to communicate about evidence to improve understanding of what is known and to help people get a better sense of what is not, and why.
Dries, C., Schneider, C. R., Oeberst, A., McDowell, M., Egharevba, G., & Rebitschek, F. G. (accepted). The impact of uncertainty communication on trust in its sources: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Royal Society Open Science.
Meder, B., Wu, C. M., Rebitschek, F. G. (2025). Causal Analysis of Absolute and Relative Risk Reductions. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 127, 102942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmp.2025.102942.
Ellermann, C., Hinneburg, J., Wilhelm, C., & Rebitschek, F. G. (2025). Can health information and decision aids decrease inequity in health care? A systematic review. BMJ Public Health, 3, e001923. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2024-0192.
Dries, C., McDowell, M., Schneider, C., & Rebitschek, F. G. (2025). The effect of uncertainty communication on public trust depends on belief-evidence consistency. PNAS Nexus, 4(3), pgaf071. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf071.
Ellermann, C., Savaskan, N., & Rebitschek, F. G. (2024). Do summaries of evidence enable informed decision-making about COVID-19 and flu vaccination equitably across more and less disadvantaged groups? - Study protocol for a multi-center cluster RCT with ‘fact boxes’ in health and social care in Germany. BMJ Open, 14 (10), e083515. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083515.
Dries, C., McDowell, M., Rebitschek, F. G., & Leuker, C. (2024). When evidence changes: Communicating uncertainty protects against a loss of trust. Public Understanding of Science, 3(66), 777-794. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625241228449.
Rebitschek, F. G., Eisenmann, Y., Krippner, L., Neugebauer, E., Schirren, C., Schnuppe, K., & Hauptmann, M. (2024). Protecting mass-gathering events in a pandemic with testing tracks and transparent information: An experimental study with festival guests. Psychology & Health, 40(7), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2024.2305644.
Rebitschek, F. G., Ellermann, C., Jenny, M. A., Siegel, N. A., Spinner, C., & Wagner, G. G. (2022). Fact boxes that inform individual decisions may contribute to a more positive evaluation of COVID-19 vaccinations at the population level. PLOS ONE. 17(9), e0274186. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274186.
McDowell, M. E., Gigerenzer, G., Wegwarth, O., & Rebitschek, F. G. (2019). Effect of tabular and icon fact box formats on comprehension of benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening: A randomized trial. Medical Decision Making, 39, 41-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X18818166.
McDowell, M., Rebitschek, F. G., Gigerenzer, G., & Wegwarth, O. (2016). A Simple Tool for Communicating the Benefits and Harms of Health Interventions: A Guide for Creating a Fact Box. MDM Policy & Practice, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2381468316665365.