University of Wisconsin–Madison
Reading Research Quarterly (2026) Authors: Maya Rabinowitz, Abla Alaoui Soce, Nick Buttrick, Diana I. Tamir Abstract: Tracing the stories people have read may help us understand their beliefs and social attitudes. In this study, we develop and validate a scale to measure racial diversity in people’s fiction reading: the Heterogeneous Author Recognition Test (HeART). To …
Black Americans face disproportionately high rates of chronic illness and mental health challenges compared to White Americans. A new study by Institute for Diversity Science (IDS) affiliate Morgan Jerald and colleague Milena Berestko suggests that stress surrounding interracial interactions may play a previously overlooked role in health disparities. Jerald and Berestko, with support from an …
Reading Media (NYU Press, Eds. Ann Blair, Paul Duguid, Anja-Silvia Goeing, and Anthony Grafton, 2026) Author: Lori Kido Lopez Abstract/Introduction: In this chapter, Lopez discusses the challenges facing textual analysts to come up with novel insights, especially in relation to the subject of racial representation. Lopez suggests ways we can move beyond the reproduction or subversion of existing stereotypes, …
Research Handbook on the Sociology of Consumption (ed. Jennifer Smith Maguire) (2026) Author: Max Besbris
Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Journal (2026) Authors: Jina Chun, Sang Qin, Kyesha Isadore, Muharrem Koc, Cassie Xu, Hamsaa Kaarthik Abstract: Disability disclosure is a complex and consequential decision-making process, shaped by personal and social factors such as stigma, visibility, and severity of one’s condition. Understanding how these factors influence disclosure behaviors is essential for developing …
British Journal of Sociology (2026) Authors: Shamus Khan, Max Besbris, Estela Diaz Abstract: Within classical sociological accounts of capitalism, families are curious remnants of the past. Contemporary elite sociology dismisses the family in a different way: by primarily focusing on individual men. When the family does appear within elite studies, scholars frequently follow a stratification framework, …
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2026) Authors: Stav Atir and Nicholas Epley Abstract: Conversations with strangers and weak ties tend to be positive experiences, and yet research suggests a reliable tendency to hold overly pessimistic expectations about such conversations. We examine how people update their beliefs after talking with strangers to understand how people’s miscalibrated …
A recent article at Phys.org covers a newly released study that explores how a change in the way journalism students are taught can help them to better engage communities. The study, led by IDS affiliate Sue Robinson and colleagues Magarita Orozco and Lori Shontz, analyzes the impact of a conversation facilitation training program for journalism …
Journal of Traumatic Stress (2026) Authors: Joonwoo Lee, Sebastian Barr, Alberta M. Gloria, Tonya J. Roberts, Stephanie L. Budge Abstract: Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals experience high rates of relational trauma from parental figures, yet their pathways to healing remain underexplored. This qualitative study used constructivist grounded theory to develop a theoretical framework of how …
Age and Ageing (2026) Authors: Melica Nikahd, Madison Hyer, Beth Wolf, Brian Patterson, Lauren Bishop, Brittany Hand Abstract: Background Neurocognitive disorders (i.e. dementia) are a leading cause of cognitive decline and loss of independence among older adults. While reported rates are higher among autistic adults, it is unclear whether this disparity persists after accounting for …