When Green Bay played the Bears in the playoffs, were you rooting for the Packers so much that you were certain they would win? This tendency to believe our favorite teams and groups are more likely to win is called “wishful thinking bias.”
The last several years have seen an increasing concern about the health effects of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or long-lasting “forever chemicals”) in consumer products and drinking water. As a persuasion and advice communication researcher, Communication Arts Professor Lyn van Swol became interested in applying her research to improve human health. In partnership with …
Our 4W Innovators and Emerging Scholars grants program supports the work of UW-Madison faculty, staff, and graduate students. All people who are working to foster gender equity and wellbeing are eligible to apply.
Over the last decade, socioeconomic collapse in Venezuela has provoked the largest displacement crisis in the Americas, sending millions across borders in search of stability and opportunities. This research investigated the experiences of twelve Venezuelan migrant families who recently arrived in Denver, Colorado—an emerging and understudied site of large-scale migrant reception.
The new collective just picked up one of the first Wisconsin Exchange grants, which promotes dialogue across difference on campus.
In an era where disagreements often lead to division, Communication Arts is building space to practice having difficult conversations and deepen our understanding of others’ ideas as well as our own. This has made Communication Arts an important contributor to a new program championed by Chancellor Mnookin and Provost Zumbrunnen–the Wisconsin Exchange. In collaboration with …
Sports betting can be fun and socially rewarding, but only if you do it safely. Communication Arts professor Jason Kido Lopez has four tips to help you keep from losing your shirt.
Herndon, VA, April 2, 2026 — Exposure to “forever chemicals,” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), has been linked to serious health issues, like immune system damage, cancers, pregnancy complications and liver damage. A new study, published in Risk Analysis, finds that the websites people are visiting for PFAS information are leaving them without a lot …
Between the 1960s-1990s, the Films Division of India (FD) produced a slew of family planning films that aligned with India’s national development goals and advocated for the nuclear family.
This essay presents dark sky advocacy as an ideal subject for communication scholars, and it also extends research on the role of feeling in the practice and study of environmental communication.