Annenberg Public Policy Center

In his new book “Goodthink,” Professor Damon Centola explains how the structure of our social networks can make groups more intelligent — or lead them astray:

1 in 4 Americans Supports MAHA, but Three Times as Many Share Food-Related Concerns. (@appc.upenn.edu) More, via Opinion Today: opiniontoday.substack.com/p/261023-top...

Alaska Ad Missing Context in Attacking Peltola’s Border Votes www.factcheck.org/2026/10/alas...

One in 4 Americans supports MAHA, according to Annenberg Public Policy Center surveys. But nearly 3 in 4 support MAHA efforts to regulate processed foods, artificial dyes, chemical additives, and added sugar. MAHA vaccine policies were less popular. Promoting raw milk sales was the lowest concern.

News release: www.eurekalert.org/news-release... Article: ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/...

Despite evidence to the contrary, President Donald Trump continues to insist the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by vandalism. On Oct. 9, Trump repeated the claim. We first wrote about the issue this summer. www.factcheck.org/2026/08/trum...

The midterms. Redbaiting in the early communication field. AI and science. Americans' civics knowledge. Read these stories and more on our website: www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/...

Why is it so hard to let go of things? Annenberg’s Emily Falk, a neuroscientist who studies decision making, explains in a new essay for the @nytimes.com:

The Neuroscience of Decluttering: @upenn.edu neuroscientist Emily Falk (@falklab.bsky.social @asc.upenn.edu @appc.upenn.edu) writes about letting go -- and how your imagination and connection to others can help. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/11/o...

New: APPC research director Dan Romer writes that public health strategies used against cigarettes could help reduce the appeal of firearms. One way: Reduce depictions of #guns in #movies and #TV shows.

Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, but why? On The Spark podcast, PSC researcher and social psychologist @dalbarra.bsky.social discusses the science behind why conspiracies are so compelling. https://bit.ly/3RMrTj7

New: APPC research director Dan Romer writes that public health strategies used against cigarettes could help reduce the appeal of firearms. One way: Reduce depictions of #guns in #movies and #TV shows.

The Context for Trump’s ‘Take Out’ Los Angeles, San Diego Remarks www.factcheck.org/2026/10/the-...

The Washington Post wrote about our survey findings on childhood #vaccines and #autism. @washingtonpost.com wapo.st/4jzKg6a @asc.upenn.edu

Confusion: About 1 in 3 Americans say RFK Jr. recommends that children be vaccinated against measles -- and about the same number say he doesn't recommend it. #measles #MMR #vaccination www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/about-1-in-3...

Most Americans confused about RFK Jr’s stance on measles vaccine as views dim of his ability to rein in outbreaks Annenberg poll also shows that most don’t believe that childhood vaccines cause autism. Read more: https://bit.ly/4xR6dBa 📷: Gage Skidmore / Flickr cc

"About 1 in 3 Americans Say RFK Jr. Recommends Measles Vaccine" www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/about-1-in-3... via @appc.upenn.edu A majority (68%) of respondents say that it is false to state that “vaccines given to children for diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella cause autism,”...

Paxton’s Uvalde Comment in Full Context www.factcheck.org/2026/09/paxt...

How does communication shape public policy? The Annenberg Public Policy Center invites @upenn.edu faculty, grad students, & postdocs to apply for research grants on this. See the flyer below. @asc.upenn.edu @penngse.bsky.social @sas.upenn.edu @pennmindcore.bsky.social @pennsp2.bsky.social

How does communication shape public policy? The Annenberg Public Policy Center invites @upenn.edu faculty, grad students, & postdocs to apply for research grants on this. See the flyer below. @asc.upenn.edu @penngse.bsky.social @sas.upenn.edu @pennmindcore.bsky.social @pennsp2.bsky.social

Supportive state HIV policies were linked to greater PrEP use and recent HIV testing among white respondents—but not Black or Latinx respondents—suggesting that supportive policy environments may not reduce racial and ethnic disparities. Read more: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Most people know the best defense against West Nile virus and dengue fever is preventing mosquito bites and controlling mosquitoes around the home, but far fewer know how to correctly apply or choose insect repellent, an @appc.upenn.edu survey finds:

A new survey by @appc.upenn.edu finds that the majority of Americans believe climate change is increasing the risk of respiratory diseases and heat- and insect-related illnesses:

In this episode of The Nation's Health Podcast, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, PhD, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses what polling reveals about Americans’ views on vaccination, science and public health: rss.com/podcasts/pub...

A Third of Americans Cannot Name the 3 Branches of Government: The annual Annenberg #ConstitutionDay Civics Survey has found that 65% of U.S. adults are able to name all 3 branches of government. Research by @appc.upenn.edu www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/...

Extreme heat is affecting the everyday lives of most Americans, a new survey finds. (@appc.upenn.edu) More, via Opinion Today: opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260920

Under half of U.S. adults can name four of the five rights protected by the First Amendment, according to the 2026 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey. (@appc.upenn.edu) More, via Opinion Today: opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260918-top...

A Third of Americans Cannot Name the Three Branches of Government. (@appc.upenn.edu) More, via Opinion Today: opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260918-top...

Over a third of U.S. adults (35%) cannot name all three branches of the government and under half can name four of the five rights protected by the First Amendment, according to the 2026 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey from @appc.upenn.edu:

"In Hottest Summer on Record, 2 in 3 Americans Say Climate Change Is Increasing Heat-Related Illnesses" via @appc.upenn.edu: www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/in-hottest-s...

New: In the hottest summer on record, 2 in 3 Americans say climate change is increasing heat-related illnesses. The survey finds that extreme heat is affecting the everyday lives of most Americans. www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/in-hottest-s... @asc.upenn.edu @upenn.edu @penncssm.bsky.social

Annenberg poll: Americans are fuzzy on the building blocks of government www.axios.com/local/philad... #civics #ConstitutionDay

🦟 An @appc.upenn.edu survey showed that just 15% of respondents know not to apply mosquito repellent beneath clothing. vist.ly/5iqbw

Thanks to @kywnewsradio.bsky.social for covering this story - civics knowledge is important!

The White House and OMB's diminished vision for science and medical research undercuts discoveries to come... ... and will lead to significant, near-term economic losses totaling tens of billions of $-s and tens of thousands of jobs. scienceimpacts.org/fy27

In our annual Constitution Day civics survey, one third of U.`S. adults cannot name the three branches of government. And of the five rights protected under the 1st Amendment, only one is identified by more than half of those surveyed.

In a nearly two-hour speech at the first Republican midterm convention, President Donald Trump promised to pay Americans if Republicans won, and he repeatedly said communists could take over Congress if they didn’t, among other familiar claims. www.factcheck.org/2026/09/fact...

FactChecking Trump’s Midterm Convention Speech: Dubious ‘Dividend’ Math www.factcheck.org/2026/09/fact...

Join us tomorrow at 11 AM for this panel discusson on Science Communication that Changes Minds & Behaviors followed by lunch. @falklab.bsky.social @michaelemann.bsky.social @appc.upenn.edu @sas.upenn.edu @upennclimate.bsky.social @upenn.edu

Fauci Still More Trusted Than RFK Jr. https://politicalwire.com/2026/09/09/fauci-still-more-trusted-than-rfk-jr/

Public Confidence in Fauci Declines Since Spring, But Still Exceeds RFK Jr. - @appc.upenn.edu www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/public-confi... "...confidence in their individual healthcare providers remains high, as compared with declining confidence in the major U.S. healthcare agencies..."

Fauci Still More Trusted Than RFK Jr. via @politicalwire.com politicalwire.com/2026/09/09/f... New data from @appc.upenn.edu

Professor Matthew Levendusky was recently on @whyy.org to discuss the AI data center debate, how it's reshaping our politics, and what it reveals about Americans' fears about the tech industry and AI: