An analysis of Twitter posts during the Zika outbreak in 2016 shows a correlation between Twitter topics and the results of nationwide U.S. surveys, according to researchers at APPC and the University of Illinois.
Research Findings
Suicide Rate is Lower During Holidays, But Holiday-Suicide Myth Persists
Nearly two-thirds of the newspaper stories linking the holidays and suicide over the 2016-17 holiday season supported a false connection between the two, according to an analysis of media coverage.
Teens With Weak Attention Skills at Greater Risk of Hazardous Driving
Teenagers with weaknesses in certain processes that are part of executive functioning are at a greater risk of hazardous driving, a literature review from researchers at APPC and CHOP has found.
Podcast: Dan Romer on the Teenage Brain and Risk-Taking
APPC research director Dan Romer discussed a recent article contending that a lot of seemingly risky teen behavior often attributed to an imbalance in brain development is actually part of normal development.
Debunking Study Suggests Ways to Counter Misinformation and Correct ‘Fake News’
Detailed debunking messages are more effective than just labeling something as wrong, and debunking is more effective when an audience is engaged in helping to correct a message, according to a meta-analysis in Psychological Science.
Americans Are Poorly Informed About Basic Constitutional Provisions
Many Americans are poorly informed about basic constitutional provisions, according to APPC's Constitution Day Civics Survey. It finds that 37% can’t name any of the rights under the First Amendment and only 26% can name all three branches of government.
Why Teens Take Risks: It’s Not a Deficit in Brain Development
A popular theory in recent neuroscience proposes that slow development of the prefrontal cortex explains teenagers’ seemingly impulsive and risky behavior. An extensive literature review challenges that interpretation.
Public Trust in Science Spiked After News Reports of Zika Vaccine Trial
How can the public’s confidence in science be strengthened? A new study finding that public confidence in science spiked following coverage of the Zika vaccine trial in 2016 suggests a way to improve trust in science on a more sustained basis.
Study Finds Fact-checking Videos Better Than Text at Correcting Misinformation
An experimental study of the effect of humor and video in fact-checking finds that both funny and non-humorous videos were more interesting and understandable than a comparable textual fact-checking story.
Study of Pope’s Climate Message Featured by Nature Climate Change
A study of the Pope's encyclical on climate change conducted by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center has been featured as a "research highlight" by the journal Nature Climate Change.