Featured Post from University of Rochester

Watching Holiday Rom-Coms Can Be a Hallmark of a Strong Relationship, Marriage

Nov 8, 2019

2 min

Staying in for a good holiday romance movie, or Hallmark marathon? Ronald Rogge, psychology professor from the University of Rochester, says holiday rom-coms and chill can be great for your marriage or relationship.

Watching and discussing five movies about relationships over a month can cut the three-year divorce rate for newlyweds in half, according to Ronald Rogge, associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Rochester. Rogge’s 2014 study involving 174 couples was the first long-term investigation to compare different types of early marriage intervention programs. The findings showed that an inexpensive, fun, and relatively simple movie-and-talk approach can be just as effective as other more intensive therapist-led methods—reducing the divorce or separation rate from 24 to 11 percent after three years.

"We thought the movie treatment would help, but not nearly as much as the other programs in which we were teaching all of these state-of-the-art skills," said Rogge, lead author of the study. "The results suggested that husbands and wives have a pretty good sense of what they might be doing right and wrong in their relationships. Thus, you might not need to teach them a whole lot of skills to cut the divorce rate. You might just need to get them to think about how they are currently behaving. And for five movies to give us a benefit over three years—that is awesome."

Overall, Rogge’s research found that couples who'd watched relationship & romance movies together and talked about what they watched, were 50 percent less likely to divorce.

Other holiday-specific movies used in the original study, or that work well to watch as a couple, include “Family Man,” “Four Christmases,” “Surviving Christmas,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Love Actually,” and, of course, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Connect with:

Ronald Rogge

Associate Professor of Psychology

Rogge's research focuses on understanding dynamics within romantic relationships and families.

Rom-com moviesMarriageCouples PsychologySex and SexualityCouples and Families

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Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" Revives the UFO Debate. But What Would Real 'Disclosure' Mean?

What if the government finally revealed the truth about UFOs and extraterrestrial visitors? That’s the premise of the new Steven Spielberg film “Disclosure Day,” which the director has said was inspired by the U.S. government’s release of previously classified records related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) that sparked congressional hearings and renewed interest in so-called “disclosure.” But to University of Rochester astrophysicist Adam Frank the real question isn't whether the government is hiding secrets. It's what would count as actual evidence of extraterrestrial interaction. “Over the last several years, we’ve had hearings, testimony, and lots of extraordinary claims,” Frank says. “What we haven’t had is the one thing science requires: hard physical evidence.” Frank, an award-winning science communicator, astrophysicist, and leading expert on the search for extraterrestrial life, says the distinction matters. Stories, rumors, and secondhand accounts may generate headlines, but they don't constitute proof. "What true disclosure would mean is simple," Frank says. "It wouldn’t be stories about alien spaceships, but the actual spaceships. Not stories about alien bodies, but actual physical evidence that independent scientists around the world could examine and verify." As media coverage surrounding UFOs, government transparency, and extraterrestrial life intensifies, Frank offers a grounded scientific perspective on what we know, what we don't know, and how science separates possibility from proof. Frank is available to discuss: • The science behind UFO and UAP investigations • What constitutes evidence of extraterrestrial life • Why government disclosures have so far failed to provide proof • The search for life elsewhere in the universe • How Hollywood portrays alien contact versus scientific reality • Why scientists remain open to — but skeptical of — extraordinary claims "The universe is vast, and the possibility of life elsewhere is real," Frank says. "But if we're going to claim aliens have visited Earth, then we need evidence that meets the same standards we would demand for any other scientific discovery." Frank is a frequent on-air commentator for live interviews and segments in national media outlets and the author of The Little Book of Aliens (Harper Collins, 2023). He also regularly contributes to written publications, including Forbes, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Scientific American. He is a recipient of the Carl Sagan Medal, which recognizes and honors outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public. Click on Frank's profile to connect with him.

Jun 4, 2026

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World Cup: Expert Sees World History in Motion

Most soccer fans watch the FIFA World Cup for the goals, the stars, and the drama. Pablo Sierra Silva sees a lot more. “You’re seeing empire, migration, nationalism, labor, religion, commercialization, and identity all unfolding in real time,” says Sierra Silva, a University of Rochester history professor who teaches a course called “World History Through Soccer.” He adds: “The World Cup is never just 22 players kicking a ball.” As the largest World Cup field ever unfolds across North America, Sierra Silva says the tournament offers a unique lens into the forces shaping the modern world. Fans need only look for it. Take the scheduled Group Stage game between France and Senegal. The matchup reflects centuries of shared history, from French colonial rule in West Africa to contemporary migration patterns and diaspora populations. The crowd, the flags, the chants, and even who is playing can reveal as much as the final score. The same is true for players like Spain’s teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, whose Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean heritage reflects broad changes in European society. “He is redefining what it means to be Spanish,” Sierra Silva says. “This is one of the stories of modern Europe, and soccer makes it visible.” Sierra Silva also studies how the World Cup has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon shaped by social media, celebrity, commerce, and fandom. Even seemingly simple traditions — such as collecting Panini World Cup stickers — offer lessons about geography, migration, and national identity. For journalists looking for unique angles on the World Cup, Sierra Silva can provide expert commentary on: • The history and politics behind international soccer rivalries • Migration, diaspora communities, and national identity • Race, religion, and representation in global sport • Sports marketing, fandom, and media culture • The World Cup as a reflection of world history and its various impacts on nations “People feel connected to histories and identities through these teams,” Sierra Silva says. “That’s why it matters.” To connect with Sierra Silva, contact University of Rochester media relations specialist David Andreatta at david.andreatta@rochester.edu.

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U.S. National Debt: How to Stop the Bleeding

The U.S. national debt exceeding the size of the American economy is a dubious milestone that has sparked alarm and confusion among policymakers who are asking how worried they should be and what can be done to stop the bleeding. David Primo, a political scientist and professor of business administration at the University of Rochester and a fiscal policy expert who has testified before Congress on the national debt, says Americans should be very concerned about the debt and, at the same time, know there is a solution. “The federal budget outlook is grim and threatens the economic future of the United States,” says Primo, the author of Rules and Restraint: Government Spending and the Design of Institution (University of Chicago Press). “If Congress waits to act, Americans will need to give up a bigger piece of the nation’s economic pie to stabilize the country’s finances.” Primo says a solution lies in a constitutional amendment restraining the federal budget. Specifically, such an amendment would clearly define spending and revenue, set spending limits based on a multiyear period, and allow for waiving the limit only with a large supermajority in Congress. “As it stands, Congress is constitutionally incapable of tying its own hands, making it difficult for legislators to implement durable changes to the federal budget,” Primo says. Recent data show the national debt has crossed 100% of the GDP threshold — roughly $31.27 trillion versus $31.22 trillion in economic output — marking the highest peacetime level in U.S. history. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that debt levels, if left unchecked, could reach 181% of GDP in the next 30 years. Primo says delaying implementing a solution raises the risk of increased interest rates, which would, in turn, reduce investment and, ultimately, economic growth. For journalists covering deficits, tax policy, and the long-term economic outlook, Primo offers key expertise and a clear lens on: • The implications of national debt exceeding GDP • Constitutional and institutional approaches to fiscal reform • Fiscal policy and political incentives “The United States is in precarious fiscal health,” Primo told Congress in 2023. “In the absence of a constitutional amendment, I fear it will take a fiscal crisis before Congress acts. Nobody wants that.” Connect with Primo by clicking on his profile.