News

What Makes Us Share Posts on Social Media?

A person holding a smartphone displaying a social media app with several messages. They are sitting outdoors, wearing casual clothes and sneakers.

A new study co-led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, including experts from the Communication Neuroscience Lab, reveals that people are more likely to share posts they find personally meaningful or socially relevant. Published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, the research highlights how value-based content—whether related to public health or climate change—is more likely to go viral. The findings offer insights for designing messaging that not only informs but resonates, a key interest of faculty affiliated with the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative.…Read More

How Wharton is Growing the Field of Neuroscience

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Supported by the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative and the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, the Applied Neuroscience and Business Analytics Fellowship introduces undergraduates to the growing field at the intersection of data science and behavioral research. During the summer program, students work closely with faculty including Gideon Nave, Carlos and Rosa de la Cruz Assistant Professor of Marketing, and Elizabeth “Zab” Johnson, Executive Director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, on research projects that explore how psychological traits influence consumer behavior. The initiative aims to broaden access to neuroscience and analytics career paths while equipping future researchers with interdisciplinary skills.…Read More

Worlds Collide: Neuroscience and Marketing Meet in the Classroom

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Co-taught by faculty from the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and the Marketing Department, Visual Marketing (MKTG 239/739) gives Penn students hands-on experience with how visual perception influences consumer behavior. Blending neuroscience, analytics, and brand strategy, the course combines classroom instruction with eye-tracking labs, fieldwork, and real-world projects with industry partners like The Hershey Company. Students explore how design, packaging, and visual storytelling shape decision-making—equipping them with a modern, data-informed approach to marketing.…Read More

Mind to Mind

Photo courtesy of Korn Ferry Institute

The Korn Ferry report “Mind to Mind” explores how leaders can enhance team performance through understanding the neurological phenomenon of interpersonal synchrony, which fosters trust, cooperation, and effective decision-making within teams. Research highlights how aligning brain activity between team members can lead to improved collaboration and organizational outcomes.…Read More

How Storytelling Can Motivate Us to Help Others

The Annenberg School’s Communication Neuroscience Lab, led by doctoral candidate Mary E. Andrews, explored how personal narratives in messaging can promote protective actions for vulnerable groups during COVID-19, with a focus on healthcare workers and incarcerated individuals. Meanwhile, the Dakar Greenbelt project in Senegal aims to improve urban sustainability through ecological infrastructure, with contributions from Weitzman School of Design’s Rob Levinthal and others.…Read More

A Natural Disaster Made Monkeys Age Faster

Rhesus monkey on the islet of Cayo Santiago in Puerto Rico

The article discusses how the biological impact of Hurricane Maria on rhesus monkeys in Cayo Santiago may mirror the effects of traumatic stress on humans, suggesting that climate change-related disasters could accelerate aging and affect health in survivors. The research involved analyzing pre- and post-disaster blood samples from the monkeys, revealing changes in immune function and gene expression linked to aging, with implications for understanding the health consequences of natural disasters on human populations.…Read More

Just One Drink a Day Can Shrink Your Brain

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A recent study published in Nature suggests that consuming one pint of beer or a glass of wine daily can shrink the overall brain volume, with increased shrinkage associated with higher alcohol consumption. The study analyzed data from over 36,000 individuals and found that moderate drinking could age the brain and that cumulative alcohol intake over one’s lifetime might impact brain health more significantly than recent consumption levels.…Read More

Wharton Neuroscience Vulnerability, Authenticity, and Trust Webcast Series

Wharton Neuroscience Vulnerability, Authenticity, and Trust This series focuses on vulnerability, authenticity, and trust in individual, team, and organizational performance from diverse perspectives, including neuroscience and human behavior. Episode 1 Guests F. Xavier Glasper, Vice President of Mapping at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Laken Tomlinson, Offensive Guard with the San…Read More

Leadership Gift to Accelerate Neuroscience at Wharton and Create Actionable Insights in Brain Science and Business

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Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett announced a $10 million anonymous gift to the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative (WiN), aimed at enhancing faculty research, student learning, and corporate engagement in neuroscience’s application to business. The initiative, led by Michael Platt and Elizabeth Johnson, seeks to integrate neuroscience, psychology, and analytics to transform business methods and education across various Penn schools and disciplines.…Read More