The Strategic Power of Storytelling
Our research explores domains that leverage the unique characteristics of narratives such as vicarious learning, entertainment-education, and metacognitive processing.
Some example projects include:
- Walter, N., Bilandzic, H., Schwarz, N., & Brooks, J. J. (2020). Metacognitive approach to narrative persuasion: The desirable and undesirable consequences of narrative disfluency. Media Psychology, 1-27.
- Walter, N., Saucier, C. J., & Murphy, S. T. (2019). Increasing receptivity to messages about e-cigarette risk using vicarious-affirmation. Journal of health communication, 24(3), 226-235.
- Walter, N., Murphy, S. T., & Rosenthal, E. L. (2018). Narrative persuasion in a new media environment: The impact of binge-watching and second-screening. Communication Research Reports, 35(5), 402-412.
Effects of Misinformation and its Correction
We study the spread and power of misinformation, the opportunities and limitations of fact-checking, and innovative approaches to promote news media literacy.
Some example projects include:
- Walter, N., Brooks, J. J., Saucier, C. J., & Suresh, S. (2020). Evaluating the impact of attempts to correct health misinformation on social media: A meta-analysis. Health Communication, 1-9.
- Walter, N., Cohen, J., Holbert, R. L., & Morag, Y. (2020). Fact-checking: A meta-analysis of what works and for whom. Political Communication, 37(3), 350-375.
- Walter, N., & Tukachinsky, R. (2020). A meta-analytic examination of the continued influence of misinformation in the face of correction: how powerful is it, why does it happen, and how to stop it? Communication Research, 47(2), 155-177.
Emotion and Affect in Social Influence
Our research proposes new frameworks to understand the interplay between affect, emotion, and cognition in the selection and processing of information.
Some example projects include:
- Walter, N., Demetriades, S. Z., & Nabi, R. L. (2020). Seeing red through rose-colored glasses: Subjective hope as a moderator of the persuasive influence of anger. Journal of Communication.
- Tukachinsky, R., Walter, N., & Saucier, C. J. (2020). Antecedents and effects of parasocial relationships: A meta-analysis. Journal of Communication.
- Nabi, R. L., Walter, N., Oshidary, N., Endacott, C. G., Love-Nichols, J., Lew, Z. J., & Aune, A. (2020). Can emotions capture the elusive gain-loss framing effect? A meta-analysis. Communication Research, 47(8), 1107-1130.