Media and Technology

Can Film Build Empathy?

Film is a powerful tool for communicating narratives and exposing people to others’ stories and experiences. Together with the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab and One Community, SPARQ is investigating whether and how films like Just Mercy can be used to build empathy for people who have been incarcerated.

Can Online Interactions Be More Productive?

While social media is ubiquitous in people’s lives, there is much to learn about what makes online interactions productive. In collaboration with the Natural Language Processing Lab and social media platforms, SPARQ investigated how both algorithms and people respond when users talk about discrimination online. We also developed an intervention to foster more productive discussions about social issues. This work received support from the Russell Sage Foundation, Stanford HAI, and the Stanford GSB Business, Government, and Society Initiative.

In another project, SPARQ is investigating whether improving content moderation can be one path to strengthening the health and vitality of digital communities. With Nextdoor, we are studying whether voluntarily training online community moderators on the platform can improve moderators’ skills and efficacy; in particular, when moderating user content about timely social issues. This work received support from the Stanford GSB Business, Government, and Society Initiative.

Does TV Shape Attitudes and Behaviors?

Television is also a powerful tool that influences how people view others and society. Partnering with BET and Paramount, the Natural Language Processing Lab, and the Starck Lab, SPARQ is studying how the different roles that actors play can not only impact television viewers' experiences with shows, but also their social attitudes and behaviors.

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^{wocintechchat / Unsplash | Just Mercy film poster | Árpád Czapp / Unsplash | Pinho. / Unsplash}