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How the Trump verdict will impact the election
When members of the jury handed down their guilty verdict in NY v. Donald J. Trump, they had simply completed their nearly three-month stint of civic duty. At the same time, they had set in motion a seismic shift in the 2024 election. What's not clear is which way that shift will go, said David Redlawsk, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware. Redlawsk is a political psychologist with expertise in campaigns, voter behavior, decision making and emotion. His research focuses on how voters process political information to make their decisions. In addition to publishing volumes of research and writing several books on politics, Redlawsk also has years of experience on the frontlines. He's worked behind the scenes on campaigns and ran for local office – winning and losing as a member of both major parties. To arrange an interview with Redlawsk, visit his profile and click on the contact button. These messages will go directly to Redlawsk and a member of the UD media relations team.
How misinformation spreads online and shapes behavior
With the Internet as a font of information, particularly during a major crisis or conflict, a simple Google search can produce a stream of conjecture, conspiracy and alternative facts. Then there’s the firehose of “news” flooding social media feeds. By headlines alone, it’s near impossible to separate wheat from chaff. Coupled with that user frustration is a vulnerability to bad actors who push agendas under the guise of news. Indeed, on its worst days, the internet is a disinformation machine. Understanding that dynamic and its impact on our moods and behavior is NJIT’s Julie Ancis, a behavioral psychologist who’s a pioneer in the field of cyberpsychology. Her research examines how disinformation spreads and shapes how we act online and in person. As she explains on her blog for Psychology Today: “The speed and flow of information online has enabled information to be transferred on a mass global scale, galvanizing social movements such as the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and #MeToo. In short, the ways in which we consume information and communicate with others both locally and globally have fundamentally changed.” To interview Ancis, click on the button below.
International Fact Checking Day | Media Advisory
In today's digital age where information spreads rapidly and misinformation can have profound consequences, International Fact Checking Day stands as a beacon of truth and accountability. This day matters to the public because it highlights the critical importance of discerning fact from fiction in an era where misinformation can sway public opinion, influence elections, and even endanger lives. The event emphasizes the role of media literacy and critical thinking in combating the spread of fake news, fostering a more informed society, and preserving the integrity of democratic discourse. Story angles of interest to a broad audience may include: The rise of misinformation in the digital age and its impact on society Case studies of successful fact-checking initiatives and their effectiveness The psychology behind why people believe and share misinformation The role of social media platforms in amplifying false information and efforts to combat it The challenges faced by journalists and fact-checkers in verifying information in real-time Strategies for individuals to identify and avoid falling victim to fake news and misinformation campaigns. Connect with an Expert about International Fact Checking Day For journalists with questions or looking to cover International Fact Checking Day, misinformation and the importance of the truth, here is a select list of experts. To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com Gretchen Chapman Professor and Department Head · Carnegie Mellon University Jennifer Manegold, Ph.D. Expert in organizational behavior · Florida Gulf Coast University David Barrett, PhD Professor of Political Science | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences · Villanova University Michael Prietula Professor of Information Systems & Operations Management · Emory University, Goizueta Business School Nina Amir Chief Inpiration Officer · Pure Spirit Creations Photo Credit: Hartono
Oh, Ozempic … Is THIN Back In?
After decades of what seemed like progress away from the obsession for “wellies” and “thigh gaps” the thin-is-in mentality seems to be creeping back into the spotlight to weigh on women’s minds – especially on social media. Channeling the renewed fascination with and focus on slimness, University of Mary Washington Assistant Professor of Communication Emily Crosby, and Associate Professors of Communication Adria Goldman and Elizabeth Johnson-Young, presented a talk titled "Social Media and the Changing Current of Health Messaging and Debates." Crosby's presentation, "Ozempic is Cheating!: Articulating a Digital Turn in Diet Culture," looks at the discourse surrounding Ozempic on social media. Employing feminist rhetorical criticism, Crosby analyzes posts and commentary to identify themes and conventions of analog and digital diet culture. This research articulates the digital turn in the "cult of thinness," to expose how medical injectable weight loss drugs undermine the body positive movement by invoking clinical technology as ethos. Goldman's presentation, "#SocialSupport: Examining the Informative and Emotional Functions of Bariatric Surgery Support Groups on Facebook," investigates the functions of digital support groups in assisting with mental well-being and emotional regulation for people considering, undergoing or recuperating from weight loss surgery. This research examines Facebook’s ability to function as both an informative and emotional resource for the bariatric surgery community. Johnson-Young's presentation, "Sugar, Snacks and Weight: An Examination of Posts and Parent Reactions to the Challenges of Nutritional Health Norms on the Growing Intuitive Eaters Instagram," examined posts and comments on an influencer's account. The research is rooted in both health behavior theory and non-evaluative and trust-based communication around food and nutrition. Preliminary findings show a variety of themes regarding reactions to the influencer's posts, from anger and resistance to relief and excitement. Weight loss, wellness and the enormous amount of attention this topic is getting has journalists looking for answers. And if you're covering or are looking to know more - we can help. All three University of Mary Washington experts are available to speak with media - simply click on an icon now to arrange an interview today.
Amid "Likes" and "Shares," Facebook Jeopardizes Children's Health and Safety
On February 4, 2004, a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg launched “TheFacebook.” Developed in his Harvard University residence hall, it began as a networking service for his roughly 7,000 classmates. Today, it is the most popular social media platform in existence, boasting over three billion monthly active users worldwide. Through two decades of “likes” and “shares,” Facebook has transformed how people connect, interact and think. Driving everything from dinner parties and concert outings to political campaigns and protest movements, it has frequently been celebrated for its ability to convey information, mobilize groups and galvanize change. However, it has also been criticized for its questionable content management choices, its suspect data collection practices and, perhaps most notably, its role in feeding an ever-growing mental health crisis among children and adolescents—a charge Zuckerberg refutes. Elizabeth Burgess Dowdell, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a professor in Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing and an expert on the health and safety risks posed by social media. From her perspective, Facebook and platforms like it have undoubtedly played a part in heightening levels of emotional distress and physical harm among youths. “Statistically, it’s well-established in the literature that mental health issues and concerning behaviors among children have escalated tremendously,” said Dr. Dowdell. “They’re becoming sadder, more depressed and lonelier, even though they’re very connected.” To Dr. Dowdell’s point, mental health disorders began rising precipitously among young people in the years following Facebook’s launch. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of children aged 6 to 17 years “ever having been diagnosed with either anxiety or depression” increased from 5.4% in 2003 to 8% in 2007 and 8.4% in 2011-2012. And just last year, in the era of Instagram and TikTok, Mental Health America found that 11.5% of children in the United States were struggling with severe depression, with 16% of youths aged 12 to 17 years having experienced a major depressive episode in the past 12 months. A contributing factor, according to Dr. Dowdell, is the way social media construes reality. Flooded with images, posts and videos that show hyper-idealized, rose-colored representations of life, impressionable young users can be made to feel isolated, inept or dissatisfied with their appearance. “I think adults understand that a ‘perfect’ picture is often preceded by a dozen other photos,” she said. “Kids don’t always see it like that. They focus on what makes them happy and what makes them sad—and what makes them feel sad about themselves.” Tragically, throughout the social media age, this sadness has been tied to increasing rates of suicide, self-harm and risky behavior among youths. A 2023 CDC study found that the suicide rate for children aged 10 to 14 years tripled from 2007 to 2018 (from 0.9 deaths per 100,000 to 2.9), and in 2021-2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children noted a 35% year-over-year increase in reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. Amid these frightening statistics, Dr. Dowdell emphasizes the importance of caring, compassionate adults’ involvement in young people’s lives. She notes these individuals’ presence can not only shield youths from potentially hazardous situations but give them the tools to cope with traumatic episodes and feelings of despair. “The critical factor that helps children become resilient is having a support system—having family members, parents or trusted adults with whom they can talk,” Dr. Dowdell shared. “They might go down the rabbit hole, but they have someone to pull them out, someone to help them.” For adults concerned about their loved ones’ social media use, Dr. Dowdell stresses that empathy and understanding are key. In turn, she advocates for an approach that reflects the supposed purpose of Facebook and platforms like it: active conversation. “It all comes back to communication,” she said. “Parents and guardians need to role-model responsible behaviors. They need to talk about these things: ‘What did you look at today?’ ‘What was good?’ ‘What was bad?’ ‘What did you think?’ ‘How did you feel about that?’ “It’s much like, when children are little, reading them books. When we read to children, we engage them… Why not read the social media feeds, look at the Facebook posts or go through Instagram? These forms of engagement, the conversations we have, let them know they can come and talk.”
Countdown To the Big Game: Dr. Tyrha’s Top Five Super Bowl Commercials for the Past Five Years
Advertising executive and multicultural media expert Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing at Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, , is a sought-after media commentator on the brands who win big during the game's commercial breaks. Commercials always are the most anticipated and talked-about aspect of the Super Bowl, but the expanding digital landscape requires advertisers to use more authentic and nuanced strategies to reach consumers. Advertising executive and multicultural media expert Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, is a sought-after media commentator on the brands who win big during the game’s commercial breaks. How do companies break through the noise and make a lasting impression on viewers? Lindsey-Warren – or Dr. Tyrha, as she is known – says the key is empowered storytelling. As a consumer behavior scholar, Dr. Lindsey-Warren’s research is rooted in narrative transportation theory – in other words, storytelling – that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall. “There is a growing space for cleverly crafted and positive storytelling that can break through the clutter and competition and get the attention of Millennials, Gen Z and Alpha generations in an authentic and meaningful manner,” Lindsey-Warren said. At the top of every year, Dr. Tyrha always enjoys exposing the juniors and seniors in her advertising class to the joys of storytelling in advertising by way of the Super Bowl commercials. By leveraging the Super Bowl as an “edutaining” entry point for student learning, Dr. Lindsey-Warren finds it to be a fun and wonderful way to bring many advertising lessons to life for her students, including branding, consumer targeting and segmentation, social media campaign analysis, and more. To that end, here are Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren’s top picks for the best Super Bowl commercials over the past five years. COUNTDOWN TO THE SUPER BOWL: DR. TYRHA’S TOP 5 SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS #5: Company/Brand: AMAZON Title of the commercial: “#BeforeAlexa” (With Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi) Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2020 Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLUwmnPJIGk Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Droga5 Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: In my opinion, this was a wonderfully creative and clever introduction of the Alexa product by Amazon. The nostalgic storytelling in the spot humorously does make you wonder and realize how “did” we all live “before Alexa?” The commercial is multigenerational, incorporates women extremely well, and is so funny! #4. Company/Brand: NFL Title of the commercial: “Bring Down the House!” Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2022 Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PhfMtZce1k Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Co-directed by Peter Berg of Film 47 and Arthur Mintz of Swaybox Studios Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: In 2022, the NFL creatively leveraged the power of animation to get our attention with this wonderfully told story with children as the lead Talent and set in a situation that all families can relate to! The spot is so much fun and keeps you guessing as well as laughing with Grandma saving the day in the end. The commercial is multigenerational, multicultural, and incorporates women and girls extremely well. #3. Company/Brand: MOUNTAIN DEW & DORITOS (OWNED BY PEPSICO) Title of the commercial: “Doritos Blaze vs. Mountain Dew Ice” (with Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage) Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2018 Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2tyVjEuqcY Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: The “in your face” storytelling of this commercial – performed exquisitely by acclaimed actors, Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman, and accompanied by the perfect voiceover narrators in Rappers Missy Elliot and Busta Rhymes – is so much fun and truly unforgettable! The commercial also cleverly makes you pay attention to the presentation of the products being promoted as well as compels you to wonder as to “when did you last have a Mountain Dew and some Doritos?” This commercial is multicultural, multigenerational, multibodied, and incorporates women well and UBER memorable! #2. Company/Brand: NFL Title of the commercial: “The 100-Year Game” Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2020 Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJjiIuH1VnY Ad Agency that produced the commercial: 72 and Sunny Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: If you love the game of football, you have to love this ad that celebrates the fun and contagious spirit of the game. Truly, this commercial has something for everyone who loves the game of football! The unassuming opening of the ad’s storytelling set at an awards banquet and led by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell quickly evolves into a fun and rambunctious game of football with NFL players of all ages in their tuxedos destroying the ballroom with their play. The musical hip-hop soundtrack alone for the spot is amazing, current, and supports the action of the storytelling extremely well. This spot is multigenerational, incredibly diverse in age ethnicity and more, as well as weaves women and girls into the spot ever so cleverly. A truly memorable ad and so much fun! #1. Company/Brand: Mr. Clean (OWNED BY P&G) Title of the commercial: “Cleaner Of Your Dreams” Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2018 Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozuWoZITX3Y Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Leo Burnett Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: Every year I show this commercial to my Advertising students at Baylor University and they absolutely LOVE this ad! The storytelling of this commercial leverages the animated Mr. Clean in such a clever manner, while showing the product benefits at the same time, and not being “in your face” with the product’s selling proposition. The music and the dancing accompaniment to the storytelling all help to bring an emotional connection to the viewer, especially the female audience. Plus, the spot is just super funny and so much fun! Every time I see this ad, I want to run and buy Mr. Clean. And, I tell my female students every year that when they get older, they are going to LOVE a man who can clean a house!!!! Additionally, this was an incredibly smart move by P&G to put this ad in the Super Bowl. This is due to the fact that the “current and future market power of women – as a whole and by segments – is undeniable and truly cannot be ignored by marketers, especially the NFL.” Today, women influence more than 80% of all consumer spending; 89% of the financial decisions are made by women; and globally, women control more than $20 trillion in worldwide spending. In addition, nearly 24.3 million African American women are brand loyalists and cultural trendsetters who have influence over the $1.2 trillion in Black spending power. And, Forbes reported in 2018 that “women constituted about 49 % of the 108 million-plus people who watched” that year’s Super Bowl – and they paid closer attention to the ads!
Expert Perspective: Augusta University professor gives annual economic outlook for the region
For the 16th year, Augusta University’s Cree-Walker Chair and Professor of Economics in the Hull College of Business Simon Medcalfe, PhD, has given his analysis of the Augusta area economy. The biggest thing on the minds of many remains the possibility of a recession and the overall inflation nationwide. Medcalfe thinks it probably won’t look a lot different in 2024 as it did in 2023. If anything, there may be less of a chance of a recession. “I think the chances of recession have probably slipped a little. I think there’s less chance of a recession,” said Medcalfe. “Inflation is certainly still a concern. It’s running at 3.2%, which sounds kind of low, but because of the amount of inflation, we’ve had prices about 20% higher than two years ago, and it’s still a concern and still eating into people’s wages.” He indicated, looking at Google Trends and what people are searching, inflation is still a pretty high concern. As for the Augusta region, Medcalfe pointed out that Columbia County continues to see a population increase and will likely have the largest population in the area by the end of the decade on current trends. As you would expect, as the population grows, so too does the number of businesses. Looking at the different sectors of employment in the region, he said things haven’t really changed. The only sectors that have seen more than a 2% change in the share of total employment over the last 20 years are education and health services. Medcalfe also pointed out that the manufacturing industry has seen a sizable increase since 2014. He said it was the same time the Starbucks manufacturing facility arrived in South Augusta but didn’t say that was the exact reason for the increase, just a point of reference for the manufacturing industry increased ever since. “Manufacturing has showed a large increase over the last ten years or so, past post-COVID as well. So now manufacturing employment in the local area is at the highest it’s been since I’ve been here,” Medcafe said. Some research that Hull College is undertaking is the intersection of health care and business. He said it’s important to the economy in our region since Richmond, McDuffie and Burke counties all rank towards the bottom of county health rankings in Georgia. “One of the things we are looking at here in the business school and in the new School of Public Health is what are the factors that influence the population’s health but aren’t clinical? There’s a lot of things that impact people’s health. There’s socio-economic status, there’s the environment they live in, there’s education, there’s health behavior and all this kind of stuff. “About 25% of the research out of Hull College is now looking at health maps because it’s important. Not just the health of the population, but it then impacts the economy because we have a labor shortage and how much of that labor shortage is actually because some people can’t work,” said Medcalfe. Looking to know more? We can help. Simon Medcalfe, PhD, is a highly regarded economics expert in the Hull College of Business at Augusta University. Medcalfe is an expert that can talk on the national economy, as well as Georgia. He is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
(WILMINGTON, Del. – December 1, 2023) ChristianaCare is investing $1 million in local nonprofit organizations to improve health for communities in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Announced during a special event Thursday at Ezion Fair Baptist Church in Wilmington’s Southbridge neighborhood, the funding was given to 19 nonprofits through ChristianaCare’s Community Investment Fund. The fund supports partnerships to build the collective capacity of communities to address social, behavioral and environmental factors that impact health. “In order to improve health equity and accelerate progress in addressing the social drivers of health, we need partners,” said Bettina Tweardy Riveros, chief public affairs officer and chief health equity officer at ChristianaCare. “While ChristianaCare provides excellent health care, we also understand that we are not the experts on every social driver of health. And that’s why we are committed to strengthening these organizations and enhancing their ability to make a positive impact. Together, we are creating health in the neighborhoods and communities we serve.” As an anchor institution in the community, ChristianaCare invests in community health improvement programs as a core component of its community benefit activities. To date, ChristianaCare has provided more than $4 million to 52 community organizations through its Community Investment Fund, which was established in 2019. This year’s awardees received funding to support community health improvement initiatives in high-need communities to address a diverse array of health-related needs, including safe housing, access to nutritious food – and even climate change, which the White House recently highlighted as a social driver of health. One of the organizations that received a grant is Delaware Humanities, which provides educational and cultural opportunities to help Delawareans gain a deeper understanding of human identity. The Wilmington, Del.-headquartered nonprofit will use its grant to develop environmental justice toolkits designed to inspire, facilitate and guide conversations about the importance of environmental issues in Delaware. “Major focus areas at our organization include health and environment, which impact human behavior and our collective sense of well-being,” said Michele Anstine, executive director of Delaware Humanities. “ChristianaCare’s grant will help us empower our communities so they can more truly understand the deep connection between health and their environment and its profound impact on the human experience.” Good Neighbors Home Repair, headquartered in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, received a grant to expand its free home repair services to houses for low-income households, making their homes safer, healthier and more livable. “Many of the houses that we repair belong to people who are coming home after a hospital discharge,” said Brad Dunn, advancement director for Good Neighbors Home Repair. “They often are returning to homes with broken handrails and misshapen steps but are unable to pay for repairs because they live on fixed incomes. We are deeply appreciative that ChristianaCare is supporting our efforts to provide services that keep our clients safe, healthy and at home.” Recipients were selected based on the quality of their proposals and implementation plans, and on the alignment of their proposals with the key priorities of ChristianaCare’s Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Implementation Plan. The funded initiatives will be implemented throughout the upcoming year. The 19 latest Community Investment Fund recipients are: AIDS Delaware. Bayside Community Network, Inc. Children & Families First. Cornerstone West CDC. Deep Roots, Inc. Delaware 211. Delaware Center for Justice. Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Delaware Humanities. Delaware Interfaith Power & Light. Good Neighbors Home Repair. Green Beret Project. Healthy Food for Healthy Kids. Project New Start. Saint Patrick'’s Center. Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. The Resurrection Center. YMCA of Delaware. YWCA Delaware.
Three strategies for dealing with toxic positivity in the workplace
Every workplace needs its cheerleaders who work lift their teammates up when the chips are down. But sometimes things really are that bad, and according to UD career expert Jill Gugino Panté, if that’s not acknowledged and dealt with, the situation will go further south. Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center at the University of Delaware, offered three tips for dealing with what is known as “toxic positivity.” Don’t force it. One example of toxic positivity in the workplace is always having to display and present positive emotions even when you might be feeling the opposite. So, feelings of frustration, anger or sadness are not acceptable on any given day. Forcing this type of toxic positivity can actually do the opposite and create feelings of resentment and burnout. Share with your supervisor. As an employee in this environment where toxic positivity runs rampant, you may want to have a one-on-one conversation with your supervisor to discuss the culture and ramifications of not being able to display authentic emotions. Perhaps letting your supervisor know that there are negative feelings festering under the “positive outside” that should be addressed. If you don’t feel comfortable going to your supervisor, find an advocate within the organization. And if you feel brave enough, try playing devil’s advocate in a meeting and state that discussing all angles could be helpful in problem solving. Be proactive with direct reports. Another example of toxic positivity is that everything, no matter the situation, is going to be alright. Sometimes situations are not going to turn out for the better. Sometimes situations are awful and horrible and people need to be allowed to feel that way. This constant “look on the bright side” can diminish a person’s experiences and feelings. It silences those who want to be able to express outrage, anger or sadness and doesn’t provide a supportive workplace. Eliminating this behavior starts at the top with creating an environment where people feel safe to express dissenting opinions or feelings. Panté is available for interviews. To set one up, simply click on her profile.
'Shake it Off' - Do Grammy-Winning Pop Artists Take More Creative Risks Than Their Runners-Up?
Taylor Swift has had a career marked by an evolution in sound and style. Swift emerged into the industry a country star and was later rebranded a pop icon. She’s gone on to explore alternative rock and indie folk sounds. Research by Giacomo Negro, professor of Organization & Management and professor of Sociology (by courtesy), suggests Grammy award wins may be credited as the catalyst for these changes. Swift, who holds 11 Grammy awards, won her first in 2010, taking home Album of the Year for country album “Fearless,” then again for her first exclusively pop album “1989” and again in 2021 for her indie folk album “Folklore.” Each time she earned another Grammy, she tried something new. Swift is not the only one. After winning Album of the Year in 1988 for classic arena rock album “The Joshua Tree,” U2 released “Achtung Baby,” an album that dabbled with kraut rock and electronic music. Similarly, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” won them Album of the Year in 1978, after which, they released their double album “Tusk,” an experimental record that incorporated punk-rock. Does Missing out on a Grammy Win Make Artists Timid? Negro’s research shows Grammy award winners tend to release albums that are more distinct from the work of other artists, whereas Grammy nominees who do not win create music that is more similar to other artists than they had prior to their nomination. Negro co-authored the research with Balázs Kovács from Yale University and Glenn Carroll from Stanford University–a culmination of more than five years of work. Negro says he has always been interested in cultural production, and he set out to study the patterns of differentiation in the music market. He chose the Grammys because these symbolic awards provide a situation similar to a natural experiment that is hard to find in real life or without a controlled environment. The Grammys are also unique because they share the names of both the award winners and the nominees, presenting a comparison among candidates of similar quality. To explore this question, Negro obtained data from four main sources: Grammy Awards Academy, online music database AllMusic, Spotify, and Billboard. From the academy information, he collected data for the Grammy nominated artists and winners from 1959 to 2018 in four “general” categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year,and Best New Artist. From AllMusic, they collected data based on the Grammy information that included artist name, recording name, year of release, record labels the artists released the music with, the production team they worked with, and the stylistic tags attached to each recording. Spotify holds a repository of popular songs; from here, they sourced data on the songs’ sonic features, which are the objective parameters of the music that qualify how the music sounds and is measured by algorithms, including tempo, genre, and key. Looking at the Billboard charts for the 2000s, they found the most albums that sold the most copies. “We combined all of this information coming from different sources, which was a challenge and an endeavor by itself, to attach information related to styles, sonic features, performance on the chart, and performance with the awards,” Negro says. They compared albums of Grammy winners with the albums of the nominees, then compared these with albums from a group of artists in the general market matched on a series of characteristics (such as genre and length of recording career). The researchers found that after artists win a Grammy, they become more experimental with their work, whereas the runners-up make music that is stylistically more conventional. This latter result was unexpected. Negro argues that there is value to be seen in the Grammys–even though it may be criticized for being too commercial or questioned for its relevance–because it has an impact on the music market and the careers of artists who are nominated and awarded. “These prizes celebrate creativity and innovation but may have unintended consequences in terms of their artists’ behavior,” he adds. “If more people become more conventional because of not receiving an award, one implication for cultural production is that awards have mixed impact. They benefit winners because they afford them more autonomy and, perhaps, confidence to explore new ideas, but they don’t necessarily benefit innovation in the field overall because more artists are just becoming more conventional.” He offers that, conversely, there may be a positive impact for artists who were not nominated at all. These artists may try to imitate the winners and try different things in the future. From this, it is clear that there is a benefit to mention who wins an award, but he says it is inconclusive whether there is a benefit to sharing the names of shortlisted candidates. What are the Greater Cultural Implications? “It’s interesting to observe how cultural production is sensitive to symbolic awards,” Negro says. “We tend to think that artists mainly follow their muse or their inspiration, but they respond to the stimuli around them.” Negro speculates that the results found in this study might apply to other industries in which producers or artists can combine different elements of styles to create their products, such as book publishing, visual arts, film, or television. He adds, these results may apply more generally to other markets and professional settings, in which employers create programs of rewards for employees. A bestowal of such awards may empower winners to continue with their behaviors, while discouraging those who were not recognized for their efforts, leading them to return to more typical behaviors. Negro is interested in following up this research by looking at the general impact of all Grammy Awards–not just the general ones–to see if specialized awards have a similar impact. He is also curious to investigate the patterns of collaboration between artists, and if stylistic changes are related to changes in the people artists work with. When Business Meets Research, What Can Students Take Away? Negro says this research also yielded findings that his team did not expect, as in the difference between winners and non-winning nominees. Where they thought they may see similarities, they, instead, saw differences, reiterating the importance of questioning how industries operate. To inquisitive students he advises, “Keep your eyes open and be curious about understanding why or how things work the way they do. Then, be persistent because it can take a long time to bring your idea to fruition.” Interested in knowing more or connecting with Giacomo Negro - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview or time today.
