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Louisa Shepard
News Officer
lshepard@upenn.edu
Communications
The intonation Black/biracial men use to speak about race
The intonation Black/biracial men use to speak about race
In a study of college-educated biracial men, ages 18 to 32, sociolinguist Nicole Holliday found that, when asked about race, this group frequently brought up law enforcement unprompted and discussed the subject using vocal tone more generally associated with white speakers.
Study finds surprising source of social influence
Study finds surprising source of social influence
A new study co-authored by ASC’s Damon Centola finds that as prominent and revered as social influencers seem to be, they are unlikely to change a person’s behavior by example, and might actually be detrimental to the cause.
The Panoptic Sort: Surveillance Q&A with Oscar Gandy
The Panoptic Sort: Surveillance Q&A with Oscar Gandy
With the second edition of his classic 1993 book “The Panoptic Sort” recently published, Gandy discusses the past, present, and future of surveillance.
P.O. Box 34: Students connect with incarcerated writers
P.O. Box 34: Students connect with incarcerated writers
Incarcerated writers who participate in the P.O. Box 34 program are paired up with a Penn undergraduate student who corresponds with them about their work.
Translating the immigrant experience into intercultural expertise
Translating the immigrant experience into intercultural expertise
Kia Lor of the Greenfield Intercultural Center supports students at Penn while navigating multiple cultures.
Dolores Albarracín appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Dolores Albarracín appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor
Albarracín will be the Alexandra Heyman Nash University Professor, with joint appointments in the Annenberg School for Communication and the Department of Family and Community Health in the School of Nursing.
Having a strong life purpose eases the loneliness of COVID-19 isolation
Having a strong life purpose eases the loneliness of COVID-19 isolation
Those who felt their life was guided by meaningful values or goals were more willing to engage in COVID-19 protective behaviors.
The multilayered challenges of broadband expansion
The multilayered challenges of broadband expansion
Penn professors identify the challenges ahead for expanding broadband access to people who need it, in areas both rural and urban.
Correcting misperceptions about—and increasing empathy for—migrants
Correcting misperceptions about—and increasing empathy for—migrants
Americans dramatically overestimate the number of migrants affiliated with gangs and children being trafficked.
Partisan politics and the opioid epidemic: A social media analysis
Partisan politics and the opioid epidemic: A social media analysis
Researchers at Penn Medicine explored how partisanship might affect legislative progress on the opioid epidemic by analyzing the content of state legislators’ opioid-related social media posts over time.
Media Contact
In the News
Fast Company
Want to go viral? Influencers won’t be much help if you’re trying to spread a complex idea
Damon Centola of the Annenberg School for Communication spoke about findings from his recent study showing that social influencers may be ineffective when it comes to changing people’s beliefs and behaviors. Rather, he said, “every network has a hidden social cluster in the outer edges that is perfectly poised to increase the spread of a new idea by several hundred percent.”
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The New York Times
Trust in health agencies and Fauci remains strong, a poll finds, but personal doctors score higher
A survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that the vast majority of adults polled were confident in the trustworthiness of COVID-19 information from the CDC, the FDA, primary care providers, and Anthony Fauci.
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Axios
Conservative media diets tied to distrust in health officials
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center spoke about the politicization of public health information on COVID-19 in the U.S. "When you begin to reduce trust in experts and agencies telling you that vaccines are safe, you're creating all kinds of susceptibilities that can be exploited for partisan gain," she said.
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The New York Times
Despite outbreaks among unvaccinated, Fox News hosts smear shots
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center said amplifying vaccine skepticism on Fox News and other conservative media outlets could deepen reluctance among viewers. “If you have constant exposure to an outlet that is raising vaccination hesitancy, raising questions about vaccinations, that is something to anchor you in your position that says, ‘I’m not going to take the vaccine,’” she said.
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The Washington Post
An anthology of great speeches, from the inspirational to the ominous
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center said most modern speeches adhere to a conversational style, designed to feel informal while still being scripted.
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Los Angeles Times
Why storytelling is an important tool for social change
Emily Falk of the Annenberg School for Communication explained the neuroscience behind how the brain processes and learns from stories. “Storytelling alone, of course, can’t produce structural changes in the justice system or create better policies aimed at health, the environment and other issues that affect our well-being,” she wrote. “But that said, changing systems large or small has to start with effective communication.”
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