Commentary
A Smarter Way to Disagree
Focus Areas
News Consumption & Engagement
Understanding how people behave in a rapidly changing information landscape.
Related Research Initiatives
Behavioral Insights Group, Civic Health & Institutions Project (CHIP50), Computational Policy Lab, Constructive Disagreement Project, Lerner Lab
At the Shorenstein Center, our work on news consumption and engagement explores how people encounter, evaluate, and act on news and information in an increasingly complex media landscape. We research the psychological, social, technological, and behavioral drivers that shape not only what individuals consider to be “news,” but how they seek it out, interpret its credibility, and make decisions based on mediated information—from civic participation to policy preferences. Our research and programming examines trends in audience engagement, trust and mis/disinformation, the shifting public demand for news and civic information, and the real-world effects of media and information on individuals and societies.
Publications & Resources
Commentary
The Intimacy Dividend: How AI Might Transform News Media Consumption
Commentary
The Loneliness Crisis: Evidence on Causes and Solutions from the UK
News
Center News
Remembering Brandi Collins-Dexter
Harvard Researchers Find That Gratitude Is a Useful Emotional Tool in Reducing Desire to Smoke: Key Implications for Public Health Campaigns
Reading Dies in Complexity – new study co-authored by Professor Todd Rogers
Featured Event
Dubious News and the Aging American: Understanding Discernment and Engagement Among Older Adults
In this talk, Professor Lyons will explore the question “Why do older adults engage more with misinformation online, even when they often identify falsehoods correctly in surveys?” This event is part of the Speaker Series on Misinformation, co-sponsored by the Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School and the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University.
Hybrid
Wexner Building - W-434 A.B. Conference Room & Zoom
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Building Knowledge
The Shorenstein Center researches media, audience, and influence through a range of lenses and disciplines.