Michele W. Berger

Political intimidation, at-risk media, and the future of journalism

In the wake of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death, Barbie Zelizer, director of the Center for Media at Risk, discusses how journalists and other digital media practitioners can better prepare for working in today’s climate and why, for that to happen, the media culture needs to shift.

Michele W. Berger

How parenting affects antisocial behaviors in children

In a recent study of the parental caregiving environment, psychologist Rebecca Waller found that within identical twin pairs, the child who experienced harsher behavior and less parental warmth was at a greater risk for developing antisocial behaviors.

Michele W. Berger

A new take on the 19th-century skull collection of Samuel Morton

After unearthing and analyzing handwritten documentation from scientist Samuel Morton, doctoral candidate Paul Wolff Mitchell drew a new conclusion about the infamous 19th-century collection: Though Morton accurately measured the brain size of hundreds of human skulls, racist bias still plagued his science.

Michele W. Berger

What happens to the brain after a traumatic injury?

Two undergrads interning with Penn Medicine’s Ramon Diaz-Arrastia spent the summer looking for biomarkers in the blood of TBI patients, and studying whether the generic form of Viagra might help promote recovery after such an injury.

Michele W. Berger

How do stereotypes affect what people think is fair?

Stereotypes systematically affect what people think is fair, according to new research from psychologist Anna Jenkins. The findings make it possible to predict how people will treat members of different social groups.

Michele W. Berger