In his first year as President, Donald Trump monopolized FactCheck.org's list of "Whoppers of 2017," using "his bully pulpit and Twitter account to fuel conspiracy theories, level unsubstantiated accusations and issue easily debunked boasts about his accomplishments."
Front Page Highlight
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.
Disruption, Demonization, Deliverance, and Norm Destruction: The Rhetorical Signature of Donald J. Trump
APPC director Kathleen Hall Jamieson and postdoctoral fellow Doron Taussig argue in Political Science Quarterly that President Donald J. Trump has forged a unique rhetorical signature that disrupts the norms of politics and discourse.
Student Involvement Is a Focus of Constitution Day 2017
Thousands of students across the United States will take the Preamble Challenge to celebrate Constitution Day this year and participate in naturalization ceremonies to swear in new U.S. citizens.
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.
Annenberg Classroom Releases Video on the Right to Confront an Accuser
In advance of Constitution Day, Annenberg Classroom has released a video on the legal right to confront an accuser in court, which is set out in the Sixth Amendment's "Confrontation Clause."
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.
Updated ‘Treating & Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Disorders’ Is Published
Oxford University Press has published the second edition of 'Treating and Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Disorders,' an update to the acclaimed book.