Research Findings

One in five people incorrectly think that scientists have established that the use of vaccines or a pesticide can cause babies to be born with unusually small heads, according to an Annenberg Science Knowledge survey.

Half of Americans are concerned that the Zika virus spreading throughout Latin America will reach their neighborhoods, according to a survey conducted this month by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The survey shows a high level of awareness but also confusion and misinformation about the virus.

A new report shows that many people who don't “believe” in evolution are still highly curious about science and engaged by a film about evolution, suggesting there is a “missing audience” for documentaries about science.

After a four-year run in which most news stories falsely linked the holiday season with an increase in suicide, last year's coverage saw a turnaround, with most news stories debunking the holiday-suicide myth, according to an analysis by the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

One American in three says that the Bill of Rights guarantees the right to own your own home, while 1 in 10 thinks that it guarantees the right to own a pet, according to an APPC national survey released for Constitution Day.

Excessive television viewing has been linked to childhood obesity, behavioral and attention issues, reading problems and poor educational achievement. A study suggests that one promising approach for parents to curb kids' excess viewing is to focus on curtailing TV time right before bed.

Parents can become desensitized to violence and sex in movies after watching only a few scenes with disturbing content, according to a new study published in Pediatrics that was conducted by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The study comes as scenes of sex and violence become more prevalent in movies aimed at youth. A 2013 study in Pediatrics from APPC researchers showed that the amount of violence in PG-13 movies tripled in the most popular movies since 1985.

Scientists can minimize the likelihood that their message will be rejected in a politically polarized environment by avoiding advocacy, relying on trusted sources, and inviting the audience to understand the evidence that justifies the scientific conclusion, according to a new study by Annenberg Public Policy Center researchers published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It showed that conservatives were able to draw the correct inferences about the downward trend in the Arctic sea ice despite exposure to a misleading Fox News report.

Americans show great uncertainty when it comes to answering basic questions about how their government works, a survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center has found. The survey was released for Constitution Day, Sept. 17, in conjunction with the launch of the Civics Renewal Network.

A new study published in the online journal Media and Communication finds that Americans’ answer to one of the long-running questions in a Gallup poll – are you afraid to walk alone in your neighborhood at night? – may be influenced by the amount of violence shown on popular prime-time television dramas.