Charting a Future for fMRI in Communication Science

Neuroscientific investigations into communication phenomena using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are becoming increasingly popular in communication science. This presents opportunities for new discoveries, but also for the rapid spread of questionable practices. Here, we look to the future of fMRI in communication science: first, highlighting and advocating for several relatively new methods that should enable communication scholars to address novel research questions; and second, pointing out various controversies or pitfalls that exist in the use of several of the more widely used fMRI analysis methods within the field. Given the rapidly changing nature of the fMRI analysis landscape, such reflection is an essential part of being a good scholar in this domain. Our aim is to ensure that the future of fMRI in communication science is healthy, robust, and rich in variety, by encouraging all researchers in the field to think critically about the methods they use, whether that means adopting new analysis methods that can answer previously unanswerable questions, or adjusting their use of methods they already use to align with the latest recommended practices.