Overview of our current research projects.

  • DFG Network "Media Trust in the Digital World
    In the Network Media Trust (Head: Dr. Nayla Fawzi, LMU Munich, funded by the German Research Association, DFG), we are working with researchers from Germany and Switzerland to consolidate the field of research on media trust in the German-speaking world. 

  • DFG Network "Factors of adolescent trust in news media"
    In the DFG network, we are currently investigating in the project "Factors of adolescent's trust in news media" (AdoTrust) how trust in media and credibility assessments develop among adolescents, what expectations they have of the media and which socialization instances have an influence on this.  

  • Audience image in journalism 
    The project will use surveys of journalists and audiences from 2023 to investigate what ideas journalists have about their audience, how they observe it and how correctly they assess the opinions, attitudes and knowledge of the audience. The focus is on the topic of climate change and climate reporting.

  • Dealing with media-critical user comments in journalism: effects and strategies (self funded)
    Together with Dr Magdalena Obermaier (LMU Munich), we are investigating how journalists should best deal with media-critical comments.

  • Alternative Media and Alternative Influencers in the Corona Crisis (self funded).
    Together with Tilman Klawier (University of Hohenheim), we are currently investigating the reach and influence of alternative media and alternative influencers in the wake of the Corona pandemic. We are also interested in correlations with personal characteristics and beliefs in misinformation and conspiracy theories.

  • UncertainTEAM - Target group-orientated communication of scientific uncertainty in multiple crises
    The project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), brings together various subject areas to investigate the best approach to communicating scientific uncertainty in research communication and journalism. Quality criteria are being developed and tested in co-operation with journalists, science communicators and citizens. The aim is to promote an understanding of scientific uncertainty, facilitate the acceptance of research results and strengthen informed trust in science.

We are a member of the Institute for Planetary Health Behaviour, the Erfurt Laboratory for Empirical Research and the Erfurt Open Science Initiative