How can we assess the potential impact of policy innovations like requiring police to wear body cameras? David Yokum of Brown University has argued that experiments can help and he has spent his career -- working for the Obama administration, the mayor's office in Washington, D.C., and various universities -- demonstrating the utility of social science for policymaking. On this episode, we talk with Yokum about his work.  

Making Experiments Work for Public Policy

Interested in human behavior and how people think? The Measure of Everyday Life is a weekly interview program featuring innovations in social science and ideas from leading researchers and commentators. Independent Weekly has called the show "unexpected" and "diverse" and says the show "brings big questions to radio." Join host Dr. Brian Southwell (@BrianSouthwell) as he explores the human condition.

Episodes air each Sunday night at 6:30 PM in the Raleigh-Durham broadcast market and a podcast of each show is available online the Wednesday following. The show is made possible by RTI International. 

Have thoughts on the show? Let your voice be heard by rating us. You can also join the conversation on Twitter by following @MeasureRadio.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Social Sciences

Science & Medicine

Science

Many of us sometimes scroll through the comments posted in reaction to a news article or social media post. How important is that and why might it matter? On this episode, we talk with Gina Sipley of the State University of New York Nassau Community College and author of a new book called Just Here for the Comments: Lurking as Digital Literacy Practice.

Online Lurking and Society

When some people die, no one comes to claim them. The death of people without easily identified social network ties can signal a different sort of loss, a loss for a society which comprises alienation and disconnection. On this episode, we talk with researchers Pamela Prickett of the University of Amsterdam and Stefan Timmermans of UCLA about their new book, The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels. 

What the Deaths of Unknown People Can Tell Us

What people now see presented on online platforms often reflects personal information about them, a situation which has raised alarms for some commentators. Might your personality affect whether you worry about data privacy protection and consequences for society? On this episode, we talk with Lisa Farman of Ithaca College about her work on this topic.

Narcissism and News Personalization

Traumatic loss, such as the death of a person close to you, can affect your everyday wellbeing in many ways. On this episode, we talk with researchers who have explored ways people can cope with such loss: Alexandra Early of RTI International and Caitlin Reynolds and Shevaun Neupert of North Carolina State University.

Uplifts Help Offset Traumatic Loss

Parents often talk with family and friends about the roles of media in their children's lives, for better or worse. What can academic research tell us about what is ok for our kids? On this episode, we talk with Dr. Katie Davis of the University of Washington, author of a new book for MIT Press called Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up.

Making Experiments Work for Public Policy

Download our free app to listen on your phone