RESEARCH

 nSight Analytics, Inc. has been at the forefront of research efforts for the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University, leading their data analytics and research team. Our work addresses ideological polarization, extremism, and radicalization through a public health lens, focusing on developing and implementing evidence-based interventions and resources. 

Our collaborative approach has led to partnerships with prominent organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Everytown for Gun Safety, and Google Jigsaw, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of our work. These partnerships have enabled us to tackle complex societal issues from multiple perspectives, enhancing the depth and impact of our research.

A significant project involved collaborating with a major tech and social media company to test attitudinal inoculation ("pre-bunking") interventions. This large-scale study, encompassing hundreds of thousands of social media users, achieved a 7% increase in users' ability to identify COVID-19 misinformation. We've applied similar methodologies to counter pro-firearm propaganda among adults and teens, demonstrating the versatility of this approach across various misinformation domains.

In partnership with PERIL, SPLC, and Everytown for Gun Safety, we conducted comprehensive research on youth perspectives regarding guns and gun violence in the United States. This involved a probability-based, nationally representative survey of 4,156 youth aged 14-30, complemented by 40 interviews and focus groups. This study provided crucial insights into young people's thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about guns and gun violence, addressing a significant gap in existing research.

Currently, we're contributing to the design and implementation of a multi-site resource center, aimed at connecting community members with resources to mitigate polarization, extremism, and radicalization. This initiative translates our research findings into practical, community-level interventions.

The implications of this work are substantial. Our research not only advances academic understanding of these complex issues but also informs policy decisions and shapes intervention strategies. By developing evidence-based resources, guides, and toolkits for religious leaders, parents, and youth caregivers, we're empowering communities to identify and mitigate youth radicalization and extremism.

This multifaceted approach, combining rigorous research with practical applications and leveraging diverse partnerships, demonstrates the potential for data-driven strategies to address some of society's most pressing challenges. Our work through PERIL and with various partners exemplifies how collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts can lead to more comprehensive and effective solutions in combating polarization, extremism, and radicalization.

For more information, check out PERIL here: https://perilresearch.com/

We partnered with scientists at Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles, to develop new ways to model and test the dynamic reciprocal effects among psychological processes, climate change-related behaviors, and social environmental factors over time: the Dynamic Model of Climate Action (DCMA). Guided by our new model, this study employed a longitudinal design, surveying a probability-based representative sample of 2,774 Texas and Florida residents five times between 2017 and 2022, both during and outside of tropical cyclone events. 

The findings revealed that as people engaged in more tropical cyclone adaptation behaviors, their personal risk perceptions decreased over time, particularly when storms were absent. However, perceptions of future tropical cyclone risks remained constant. This suggests that while people adapt to current perceived risks, this adaptation may paradoxically reduce motivation for future preparedness, even as climate change intensifies these threats. 

The implications of these findings are significant for climate change adaptation strategies. They indicate that as people adapt to current risks, they may become less likely to take future adaptive actions, despite the increasing severity of climate-related threats. This underscores the potential need for programs and policies that encourage proactive adaptation investments, even when immediate threat perceptions are low. 

Paper: https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/3/4/pgae099/7641944