Professional Summary
Dr. Kurt Neuwirth, Ph.D. is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and an associate of the Center for Health and Environmental Communication. Dr. Neuwirth specializes in mass communication and research design and methods. . Dr. Neuwirth's research examines the effects of media content on people's perceptions of hazards, their emotional reactions to risk, and changes in their behaviors. In addition, his work examines the role the media play in forming and changing public opinion, especially when information about hazards influences wider social and political processes. His most recent research focuses on the relationship between values and the perception of risk and benefit.
Education
PhD: University of Wisconsin Madison, 1995 (Mass Communication)
Research Support
Grant: #H75/ATH598322-07 Investigators:Neuwirth, Kurt 10-01-1995 -09-30-1999 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry How People Think About the Risks of Eating Fish Role:PI $71,555.00 Closed Level:Federal
Abbreviated Publications
In Press
Frederick, E., Neuwirth, K. "The second person effect and its role in the formation of issue publics." Mass Communication and Society 11 (2008): 514-538.
Neuwirth, K.. (2010) The Spiral of Silence and Science. In Priest, S. H. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication, Vol. 2. Sherman Oaks: Beverly Hills, CA., 832-835.
Presentations
Paper Presentations
Frederick, E., & Neuwirth, K. (11-2007. ) Perceived micorclimates and opinion expression about campus drinking activities. .Chicago, IL. Conference. Level:Regional
Neuwirth, K., Frederick, E., Kapfer, J. & Martin, W. (11-2008. ) An Empirical Assessment of Lakoff’s Moral Strength Schema. Chicago, IL. Conference. Level:Regional
Neuwirth, K., Frederick, E., & Jang, W. (11-2009. ) First-, Second- and Third-Person Effects: Single versus Multiple-question assessment .Chicago, IL. Conference. Level:Regional
Jang, W., Frederick, E., Struthers, A., & Neuwirth, K. (11-2010. ) Effects of talking about alcohol issues on intentions to drink or drinking among college students .Chicago, IL. Conference. Level:Regional
Neuwirth, K., Frederick, E., & Mayo, C. (10-2010. ) The role of heuristic-systematic accuracy and defensive information processing during a congressional election .Chicago, IL. Conference. Level:Regional
Keywords
risk communication, public opinion, mediated communication, communication theory, spiral of silence, second person effect