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Daily Archives: February 8, 2010

Social Transmission and Viral Culture

Social Transmission and Viral Culture, by Jonah Berger, assistant professor of Marketing and Katherine L. Milkman, assistant professor of Operations and Information Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

  • “People often share news, opinions, and information, and social transmission shapes both individual behavior and collective outcomes. But why are certain things more viral than others? An analysis of over 7,500 New York Times articles published over six months suggests that individual-level psychological processes (e.g., emotion) act as a selection mechanism on culture, shaping what becomes viral. Even controlling for external drivers of attention (e.g., the time an article spent on the Times’ homepage), awe-inspiring articles are more likely to be among the newspaper’s most e-mailed stories on a given day. Practically useful, surprising, positive, and affect-laden articles are also more likely to be viral. The magnitudes of these relationships are considerable. These results underscore the importance of considering how individual-level psychological processes shape collective outcomes such as the transmission and prominence of culture.”
  • World Report: Abusers Target Human Rights Messengers

    News release: “Governments responsible for serious human rights violations have over the past year intensified attacks against human rights defenders and organizations that document abuse, Human Rights Watch said in issuing its World Report 2010. The 612-page report, the organization’s 20th annual review of human rights practices around the globe, summarizes major human rights trends… Continue Reading

    CRS Report – Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence

    February 05, 2010 – Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy “Al Qaeda (AQ) has evolved into a significantly different terrorist organization than the one that perpetrated the September 11, 2001, attacks. At the time, Al Qaeda was composed mostly of a core cadre of veterans of the Afghan… Continue Reading

    CRS Report – Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile

    Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile. Jennifer E. Manning, Information Research Specialist, February 4, 2010 “This report presents a profile of the membership of the 111th Congress. Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age and length of service, occupation, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births,… Continue Reading

    CRS Report: Metropolitan Transportation Planning

    Metropolitan Transportation Planning, William J. Mallett, Specialist in Transportation Policy, February 3, 2010 “Federal law requires state and local governments to designate a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) in each urbanized area with a population of 50,000 or more to help plan surface transportation infrastructure and services. There are currently 381 MPOs nationwide. Despite some strengthening… Continue Reading

    Environmental and Health Groups Face Off Against Household Cleaner Giants in Court

    News release: “Public health and environmental advocates faced off against household cleaning giants Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Church and Dwight and Reckitt-Benckiser in a Manhattan court today in a fight for transparency about the toxic chemicals in cleaning products. The manufacturing giants are refusing to follow a New York state law requiring them to disclose… Continue Reading

    CRS Report – Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2009

    Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2009. Jennifer E. Manning, Information Research Specialist, Colleen J. Shogan, Senior Specialist in Government and Finance, December 23, 2009. “A record 93 women currently serve in the 111th Congress: 76 in the House (59 Democrats and 17 Republicans) and 17 in the Senate (13 Democrats and 4 Republicans). Ninety-five… Continue Reading

    Cornell Law School Database on International and Regional Gender Justice

    Follow up to posting on campaign to End Female Genital Mutilation Now, see the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School: Legal Resources “section provides access to treaties and other international and regional documents, statutes and case law from around the world relating to gender-based violence. By making these resources available,… Continue Reading