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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC

@sdc.norc.org

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NORC’s Social Data Collaboratory (SDC) brings together a diverse team of experts, including social scientists, data scientists, and communication researchers to explore how digital and social media shape and reflect public opinions and behavior.

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Nov 19

Proud to be part of @norc.org and connect with fellow researchers advancing the science of digital behavior!

NORC at the University of Chicago @norc.org · Nov 18

Make sure to follow NORC’s @sdc.norc.org (which has also joined us on BlueSky!) for cutting-edge research on the intersection of social media, human behavior, and digital communication. go.norc.org/3ZahWwJ

Social Data Collaboratory | NORC at the University of Chicago

We navigate the complex social data landscape to derive actionable insights for personal and societal well-being.

go.norc.org

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · 14d

SDC's Alex Kresovich joined an invite-only @arnoldventures.bsky.social event last week to tackle the U.S. fentanyl crisis. He shared insights from his research on media's role in substance use to help forge solutions.

#PublicHealth #DataForGood

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · 21d

Yoonsang’s poster linked influencer tweets to real-world cigar sales. An increase in tweets from high-follower and high-mention accounts was associated with a significant rise in weekly unit sales (~55k to ~220k more units, respectively). #PublicHealth #HealthComm

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · 21d

Miao's poster looked at anti-vaping campaign opposition. On Twitter (X), it’s often organized & political. On TikTok, it’s more decentralized, humorous, and ironic, showing how platform culture shapes public health messaging.

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · 21d

Great to be at #NCTOH2025 in Chicago recently! Our researchers Miao Feng & Yoonsang Kim presented new work from our team at the Social Data Collaboratory at NORC (co-authored by Sherry Emery) on social media's role in tobacco control. 🧵

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 20

We're launching a NIDA-funded study on the marketing of alternative tobacco products (ATPs)—like vapes, hookah, and heated tobacco—on social media and the impacts on use among youth. Exploring Instagram, TikTok & more. Stay tuned for more information! #tobaccocontrol #publichealth

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 13

Props to our own Alex Kresovich on this study, with JCOIN project leadership from Bruce Taylor and Phoebe Lamuda!

Read the full paper: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Exploring the Roots of Stigma: A Qualitative Investigation of the American Public’s Attitudes Toward Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder

The ongoing opioid crisis underscores the urgent need to understand and address stigma toward individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Applying message framing theory, this study examines how di...

www.tandfonline.com

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 13

The takeaway: To be effective, messaging must meet audiences where they are.

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 13

The biggest twist? When people with higher stigma had used opioids themselves without developing an addiction, it reinforced their belief that OUD is a personal failure, rather than building empathy.

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 13

The study found that people with high vs. low stigma don't just disagree—they operate in completely different realities.

➡️ High-stigma view: OUD is a personal choice. ➡️ Low-stigma view: OUD is a medical condition shaped by societal causes.

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 13

Why do many anti-stigma campaigns for opioid use disorder struggle to connect? Our qualitative study in Health Communication provides a critical answer. This work is part of @norc.org's NIDA-funded Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network, led by Alex Kresovich. #HealthCommunication #Stigma

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Aug 6

New study in Preventive Medicine on firearm violence victimization among youth/young adults led by @norc.org's Bruce Taylor with collaborators E. Mumford, W. Liu, J. Sheridan-Johnson, C. Lancaster, SDC’s C. Carter & K. Mitchell (UofNH). www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#ViolencePrevention

Firearm violence victimization among youth and young adults: A socio-ecological analysis of risk and protective factors

To examine individual, interpersonal, community/societal, and policy-level risk and protective factors associated with firearm violence victimization …

www.sciencedirect.com

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 30

Time for a real-world data puzzle. 🧩

This brand's online sentiment took a nosedive, as you can see in the chart. What was the primary cause of the chaos?

HINT: Zooming in on the search terms is very helpful. 😉

#DataPuzzle #DataViz #SocialListening #DataAnalytics

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 23

Final insight for community managers: A small group of "super-users" (just 4.55% of chatters) can have a massive impact, driving nearly a quarter of all chat messages!

Kudos to the SDC's Alex Kresovich & Simon Page for leading this analysis! #DataScience

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 23

Finding #2: Content format is everything. 📺

In-Real-Life (IRL) streams sparked the most STEM talk (21.65%) - far more than gaming streams. Also, streams with lots of peer support were over 3 times more likely to have a super-active chat.

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 23

Finding #1: Your community leads the learning. 🧑‍🏫

Regular viewers drove MORE STEM discussion than the official team members (16.9% vs 11.3%). True engagement isn't top-down; it's peer-to-peer.

#OnlineLearning

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 23

How do you build an active science-learning community on Twitch? We partnered with NOVA PBS as part of a larger Slover Linett at @norc.org study to analyze their "Building Stuff" channel and find the secrets to engagement.

The answers aren't what you might think. 🧵

#SciComm #STEM #Twitch

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 16

How did we find this? By pioneering an ethical data donation method to reveal what people see online. This shows how ad targeting may exacerbate difference in health outcomes. Lead author: Yoonsang Kim. #HealthEquity #DataScience (4/4)

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 16

But on Instagram, the story changes. There, Black users faced the highest food & beverage ad exposure (25%), while Hispanic users saw less exposure (10%) than White users (16%). (3/4)

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 16

On Facebook, the differences were sharp. Hispanic users were exposed to food & beverage ads at more than double the rate of White users (33% vs 15%). The rate for Black users was 22%. (2/4)

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 16

Our "digital diets" are shaped by ad targeting, and new @norc.org research found Black & Hispanic users see more food & beverage ads online - but it depends on which app they're using.

Presenting our findings at #NCHCMM2025. 🧵 (1/4)

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Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 9

🎶 What's your go-to productivity hack?

“Music and coffee! I also try to stop working when things are still interesting, so I’m naturally pulled back in the next day to keep the momentum going.”

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 9

🍜 What's a fun fact about you?

“I was born in Sichuan, a region in China known for its bold, spicy flavors. If I ever switched careers, I’d probably open a noodle shop. Making noodles with chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn is something I genuinely love.”

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 9

💡 What's a current challenge you're excited to tackle?

"Through my NCI-funded project, I’m analyzing a decade of e-cigarette prevention campaigns across X and TikTok. The challenge is making sense of the patterns to better understand what campaign resilience looks like in today’s environment."

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 9

💬 What’s your favorite part of working in the SDC?

“I’ve been with the SDC since 2014, and what continues to inspire me is how we approach research: with rigor, creativity, and a willingness to evolve. We work across disciplines and methods, which keeps the work dynamic and deeply rewarding.”

Social Data Collaboratory @ NORC @sdc.norc.org · Jul 9

How do health campaigns cut through online misinformation?

Meet @fengmiao.bsky.social, a senior research scientist at our Social Data Collaboratory and an expert in finding that answer.

We sat down with Miao for a Q&A. Read on in the thread! 👇
#MeetTheSDC #DataScience #PublicHealth #SciComm

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