Ignorance and insecurities are important elements of science and research. Every researcher is confronted not only with his or her own non-knowledge but also with non-knowledge of a discipline or research group. Ignorance, however, can also threaten a researcher’s reputation, it can be used strategically in scientific discussions, for example to weaken another’s contribution or to heighten one’s own image. The article explores the influence of non-knowledge communication on the images of discussants in scientific, interdisciplinary contexts.