In the Communication & Media research group, we investigate the production, content, and impact of mediated communication. Across five key research themes, our focus is on how various forms of media—ranging from television and newspapers to social media, artificial intelligence, and social robots—can enhance people's knowledge, health, and wellbeing. Check out our research themes below to dive into the wide array of questions we address in pursuit of these vital goals.
Communication and Media
Research group
Research
Communication themes
We focus on five themes:
News
1. Artificial intelligence and communication
Artificial intelligence, algorithms, and big data will transform the world in the coming decades. The question is how. Around the globe, efforts are underway to perfect AI. However, whether and how this technology will benefit humanity is rarely asked. We investigate the impact of AI on individuals and organizations, how people interact with systems like recommendation engines, chatbots, and virtual humans, or why they choose not to. A key question is how to design the technology to serve people as a tool to become healthier, happier, and better informed. The goal is for AI to serve humanity—not the other way around.
2. News and media literacy
News is vital for informing citizens about what is happening in the world. However, it is difficult to engage (young) people more with the news. They struggle to navigate the vast array of news and information available. Furthermore, people can be confronted with misinformation, especially on social media, and it is not always easy to recognize these messages as such. The generally negative nature of news reports can also have a detrimental effect on mental well-being and can lead to a tendency to avoid news altogether. Therefore, we are researching on how news can be made more appealing, how news and information are consumed, and how we can especially help young people assess news critically and become media literate.
3. Social media and wellbeing
Social media are an integral part of young people's daily lives. The effects of social media use can sometimes be positive, but there are also associated risks. For example, some young people develop problematic social media use, with negative consequences for their (mental) well-being. Moreover, young people are exposed to many messages on social media that depict unhealthy behaviors, such as the consumption of alcohol. Therefore, we study social media's role in physical and mental health, ultimately aiming to gain insights into how a healthier (online) environment for young people can be promoted.
4. Media, culture and representation
Every day, a vast number of images and stories are consumed through various media worldwide. How people and topics are portrayed in the media affects how individuals perceive the world, themselves, and others. We study how (groups of) people and topics like ethnicity, sexuality and gender are represented, the effects of these representations, if and how people resist them, and how individuals interpret these contents from their perspectives.
Somewhere over the rainbow
This projets aims to answer the question how entertainment media narratives can influence people’s openness towards underrepresented groups, specifically the LGBTQIA+ community.
5. Persuasive communication and resistance
In today's media landscape, people are constantly bombarded with messages trying to capture their attention, inform, and persuade them. This includes information and misinformation about new products, vaccinations, nutrition, privacy, diversity, and climate change. Our research specifically focuses on how such communication influences recipients' thoughts, preferences, and behaviour. In doing so, it is also essential to understand if and how people resist these influences. Through this research, we contribute to a better understanding of how people cope with (both desired and undesired) influence through media.
Mission & Research Profile
Our mission is to conduct cutting-edge research that advances scientific knowledge, benefits society, and informs policy. Our research questions are driven by the latest developments in media and technology and current public debates. Our efforts to transfer academic insights to the wider community through science communication and partnerships with industry and policymakers reflect this commitment.
Our research is characterized by its multidisciplinary approach, blending media psychology, media sociology, and perspectives on technology and its applications. We employ a wide range of advanced research methods, including automated computational techniques, to explore complex questions. In our commitment to advance the social sciences and discover the most accurate answers, we prioritize open and transparent science at every stage of our work.
Contact information
Location
Visiting address
Thomas Van Aquinostraat 46525GD Nijmegen
Postal address
Postbus 91046500HE NIJMEGEN