Politics and Social Change Lab
@pascl-stanford.bsky.social
Research program Stanford Center on Philantropy and Civil Society
investigating forces that unite and divide Americans. Director: @robbwiller.bsky.social
investigating forces that unite and divide Americans. Director: @robbwiller.bsky.social
Thank you to Kasey Rhee for an exciting recent presentation on her work analyzing how party registration has shifted across demographic groups using an unprecedented dataset of six billion voter records! @robbwiller.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Thank you to Kasey Rhee for an exciting recent presentation on her work analyzing how party registration has shifted across demographic groups using an unprecedented dataset of six billion voter records! @robbwiller.bsky.social
Proud to have our very own Ben Kinder present his undergraduate thesis research in our lab, focusing on pragmatic biases and strategic discrimination in American voting preferences. Excited to see where this work goes!
November 22, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Proud to have our very own Ben Kinder present his undergraduate thesis research in our lab, focusing on pragmatic biases and strategic discrimination in American voting preferences. Excited to see where this work goes!
Thank you to @joshcjackson.bsky.social and Dan Medvedev for a fascinating recent lab presentation on how attitudes toward the rich vary globally! Innovative methods and fascinating findings, all around. @robbwiller.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Thank you to @joshcjackson.bsky.social and Dan Medvedev for a fascinating recent lab presentation on how attitudes toward the rich vary globally! Innovative methods and fascinating findings, all around. @robbwiller.bsky.social
Big thanks to @kobihackenburg.bsky.social for sharing his comprehensive research program on the capacity of AI-Human conversation to facilitate attitude change. Really exciting stuff!
November 10, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Big thanks to @kobihackenburg.bsky.social for sharing his comprehensive research program on the capacity of AI-Human conversation to facilitate attitude change. Really exciting stuff!
Awesome work by Jiayi Geng leading this preprint investigating then question, "Do LM assistants change their beliefs as context accumulates?"
November 5, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Awesome work by Jiayi Geng leading this preprint investigating then question, "Do LM assistants change their beliefs as context accumulates?"
Thanks to Paul Lendway for presenting his work on sermon rhetoric and what it tells us about Evangelical alignment with the Republican Party. Looking forward to reading the book that comes out of this research! @robbwiller.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Thanks to Paul Lendway for presenting his work on sermon rhetoric and what it tells us about Evangelical alignment with the Republican Party. Looking forward to reading the book that comes out of this research! @robbwiller.bsky.social
Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab
🚨New WP!🚨
Structured AI Dialogues Can Increase Happiness and Meaning in Life
In a preregistered RCT, four psychology-grounded #AI chatbots improved well-being across several outcomes.
Co-authors: Jonas Schoene, Johannes Eichstaedt, Aadesh Salecha, Sonja Lyubomirsky
🧵👇
Structured AI Dialogues Can Increase Happiness and Meaning in Life
In a preregistered RCT, four psychology-grounded #AI chatbots improved well-being across several outcomes.
Co-authors: Jonas Schoene, Johannes Eichstaedt, Aadesh Salecha, Sonja Lyubomirsky
🧵👇
October 7, 2025 at 7:04 PM
🚨New WP!🚨
Structured AI Dialogues Can Increase Happiness and Meaning in Life
In a preregistered RCT, four psychology-grounded #AI chatbots improved well-being across several outcomes.
Co-authors: Jonas Schoene, Johannes Eichstaedt, Aadesh Salecha, Sonja Lyubomirsky
🧵👇
Structured AI Dialogues Can Increase Happiness and Meaning in Life
In a preregistered RCT, four psychology-grounded #AI chatbots improved well-being across several outcomes.
Co-authors: Jonas Schoene, Johannes Eichstaedt, Aadesh Salecha, Sonja Lyubomirsky
🧵👇
Very cool to see @robbwiller.bsky.social quoted in the
@wsj.com talking about our work (led by
@chagaiweiss.bsky.social) testing the effects testing the #DisagreeBetter ads: www.wsj.com/politics/min...
@wsj.com talking about our work (led by
@chagaiweiss.bsky.social) testing the effects testing the #DisagreeBetter ads: www.wsj.com/politics/min...
Meet the Lawmakers Trying to Bring Civility Back to Politics
In a growing movement, state legislators in Minnesota, Arkansas, Kansas and beyond are taking on America’s political rage. Opponents are “not the devil.”
www.wsj.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Very cool to see @robbwiller.bsky.social quoted in the
@wsj.com talking about our work (led by
@chagaiweiss.bsky.social) testing the effects testing the #DisagreeBetter ads: www.wsj.com/politics/min...
@wsj.com talking about our work (led by
@chagaiweiss.bsky.social) testing the effects testing the #DisagreeBetter ads: www.wsj.com/politics/min...
Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab
Last night's @60minutes.bsky.social with
Governor Spencer Cox offers a great chance to learn about the #DisagreeBetter campaign, an effort to encourage respectful and constructive political disagreement: www.cbsnews.com/video/928202...
Governor Spencer Cox offers a great chance to learn about the #DisagreeBetter campaign, an effort to encourage respectful and constructive political disagreement: www.cbsnews.com/video/928202...
9/28/2025: A Lonely Voice; The Mystery of the Eagle S; Dana White
First, a message from Utah Gov. Cox after the Charlie Kirk murder. Then, a report on undersea cable cutting in the Baltic Sea. And, UFC head Dana White: The 60 Minutes Interview.
www.cbsnews.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Last night's @60minutes.bsky.social with
Governor Spencer Cox offers a great chance to learn about the #DisagreeBetter campaign, an effort to encourage respectful and constructive political disagreement: www.cbsnews.com/video/928202...
Governor Spencer Cox offers a great chance to learn about the #DisagreeBetter campaign, an effort to encourage respectful and constructive political disagreement: www.cbsnews.com/video/928202...
Many wise insights from Gov Spencer Cox & @ezraklein.bsky.social Gov Cox rightly notes his 2020 video w Chris Peterson was among most impactful in Strengthening Democracy Challenge, a striking example of cross-party engagement.
Grateful for their commitment. Hear it: 👇
youtu.be/WJB87niNCk0
Grateful for their commitment. Hear it: 👇
youtu.be/WJB87niNCk0
youtu.be
September 20, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Many wise insights from Gov Spencer Cox & @ezraklein.bsky.social Gov Cox rightly notes his 2020 video w Chris Peterson was among most impactful in Strengthening Democracy Challenge, a striking example of cross-party engagement.
Grateful for their commitment. Hear it: 👇
youtu.be/WJB87niNCk0
Grateful for their commitment. Hear it: 👇
youtu.be/WJB87niNCk0
Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab
It is great to see Gov Spencer Cox stepping up to turn the temperature down and focus ppl on grieving the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk. Gov Cox has long promoted civility across party lines. Our research finds that his messages are persuasive when Americans see it.
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September 12, 2025 at 8:07 PM
It is great to see Gov Spencer Cox stepping up to turn the temperature down and focus ppl on grieving the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk. Gov Cox has long promoted civility across party lines. Our research finds that his messages are persuasive when Americans see it.
👇
👇
Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab
Does labeling AI content affect its persuasiveness? Our latest policy brief evaluates the impact of authorship labels on how people perceive AI-written policy messages. @jurafsky.bsky.social @robbwiller.bsky.social @federicobianchi.bsky.social
hai.stanford.edu/policy/label...
hai.stanford.edu/policy/label...
July 31, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Does labeling AI content affect its persuasiveness? Our latest policy brief evaluates the impact of authorship labels on how people perceive AI-written policy messages. @jurafsky.bsky.social @robbwiller.bsky.social @federicobianchi.bsky.social
hai.stanford.edu/policy/label...
hai.stanford.edu/policy/label...
Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab
We live in a world that feels more divided than ever. This week, we revisit an episode with sociologist Robb Willer and discuss how to bridge even the greatest divides. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/us-2...
Win Hearts, Then Minds + Your Questions Answered on Identity and "Covering" - Hidden Brain Media
This week, we bring you a favorite episode with sociologist Robb Willer. We discuss the common mistakes we make in trying to persuade others of our point of view — and how to break out of our echo cha...
hiddenbrain.org
June 24, 2025 at 4:04 PM
We live in a world that feels more divided than ever. This week, we revisit an episode with sociologist Robb Willer and discuss how to bridge even the greatest divides. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/us-2...
Fantastic piece from @robbwiller.bsky.social and @owasow.bsky.social on nonviolent resistance published in the @nytimes.com. Bravo!
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/o...
June 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Fantastic piece from @robbwiller.bsky.social and @owasow.bsky.social on nonviolent resistance published in the @nytimes.com. Bravo!
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/o...
Congratulations to lab alumn @maxhuibai.bsky.social on the release of his academic party game, Publish or Perish! Very excited to have received our copies in the mail – thanks, Max!
You can check out Max's game here 👇
publishorperish.games
You can check out Max's game here 👇
publishorperish.games
June 12, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Congratulations to lab alumn @maxhuibai.bsky.social on the release of his academic party game, Publish or Perish! Very excited to have received our copies in the mail – thanks, Max!
You can check out Max's game here 👇
publishorperish.games
You can check out Max's game here 👇
publishorperish.games
Thank you to @jonnekamphorst.bsky.social and David Broska for an engaging presentation on their work on support for predistributive and redistributive policies! @robbwiller.bsky.social @stanfordpacs.bsky.social
June 5, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Thank you to @jonnekamphorst.bsky.social and David Broska for an engaging presentation on their work on support for predistributive and redistributive policies! @robbwiller.bsky.social @stanfordpacs.bsky.social
Big thanks to Ariel Malka for a fascinating presentation in the lab this week on how cultural and economic ideologies shape anti-democratic sentiment across partisan lines! @robbwiller.bsky.social @stanfordpacs.bsky.social
May 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Big thanks to Ariel Malka for a fascinating presentation in the lab this week on how cultural and economic ideologies shape anti-democratic sentiment across partisan lines! @robbwiller.bsky.social @stanfordpacs.bsky.social
Compelling evidence in this new WP that AI can do "deep canvassing" and durably reduce prejudice and change policy attitudes. Very cool stuff from @tomcostello.bsky.social @gordpennycook.bsky.social @robbwiller.bsky.social @dgrand.bsky.social
🚨New WP🚨
Can AI do "deep canvassing"—the time-intensive, empathic persuasive dialogues that durably reduce prejudice when done by humans?
Spoiler: Yes! We find durable reduction in prejudice toward undocumented immigrants
LLMs make deep canvassing possible at massive scale
osf.io/preprints/os...
Can AI do "deep canvassing"—the time-intensive, empathic persuasive dialogues that durably reduce prejudice when done by humans?
Spoiler: Yes! We find durable reduction in prejudice toward undocumented immigrants
LLMs make deep canvassing possible at massive scale
osf.io/preprints/os...
May 22, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Compelling evidence in this new WP that AI can do "deep canvassing" and durably reduce prejudice and change policy attitudes. Very cool stuff from @tomcostello.bsky.social @gordpennycook.bsky.social @robbwiller.bsky.social @dgrand.bsky.social
Very cool to see this research developed into a policy brief! Impactful work from a superstar team: @joon-s-pk.bsky.social
@cqzou.bsky.social @aaronshaw.bsky.social @mako.cc Carrie Cai, Meredith Ringel Morris, @robbwiller.bsky.social Percy Liang, @mbernst.bsky.social
@cqzou.bsky.social @aaronshaw.bsky.social @mako.cc Carrie Cai, Meredith Ringel Morris, @robbwiller.bsky.social Percy Liang, @mbernst.bsky.social
AI agents that can simulate human behaviors and attitudes can help test ideas in social science. Our latest brief introduces a generative AI agent architecture that simulates the attitudes of 1,000+ real people. Read more: hai.stanford.edu/policy/simul...
May 21, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Very cool to see this research developed into a policy brief! Impactful work from a superstar team: @joon-s-pk.bsky.social
@cqzou.bsky.social @aaronshaw.bsky.social @mako.cc Carrie Cai, Meredith Ringel Morris, @robbwiller.bsky.social Percy Liang, @mbernst.bsky.social
@cqzou.bsky.social @aaronshaw.bsky.social @mako.cc Carrie Cai, Meredith Ringel Morris, @robbwiller.bsky.social Percy Liang, @mbernst.bsky.social
Big thanks to @devorahmanekin.bsky.social for an engaging talk on how affective polarization may shape nonviolent resistance!
May 20, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Big thanks to @devorahmanekin.bsky.social for an engaging talk on how affective polarization may shape nonviolent resistance!
Thank you Kylie Fuller for presenting your work on how extreme protest tactics affect legislators' support for climate activists and climate action. We look forward to seeing this project develop!
May 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Thank you Kylie Fuller for presenting your work on how extreme protest tactics affect legislators' support for climate activists and climate action. We look forward to seeing this project develop!
Thank you to Minjae Kim for an engaging and insightful talk on cross-cutting ties among divided political elites last Tuesday!
May 9, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Thank you to Minjae Kim for an engaging and insightful talk on cross-cutting ties among divided political elites last Tuesday!
Big thanks to @simine.com for a thoughtful and engaging discussion on open science practices and strengthening trust in peer-reviewed research during her visit to the lab last week!
April 24, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Big thanks to @simine.com for a thoughtful and engaging discussion on open science practices and strengthening trust in peer-reviewed research during her visit to the lab last week!
Thanks to Ryan Liu for sharing his exciting work on simulating and predicting people using generative AI agents! We are looking forward to seeing how this project develops.
April 10, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Thanks to Ryan Liu for sharing his exciting work on simulating and predicting people using generative AI agents! We are looking forward to seeing how this project develops.
A big thank you to Michael N. Stagnaro for sharing his compelling research addressing the ongoing challenge of distinguishing Bayesian from motivated reasoning. We look forward to seeing this project develop!
April 3, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A big thank you to Michael N. Stagnaro for sharing his compelling research addressing the ongoing challenge of distinguishing Bayesian from motivated reasoning. We look forward to seeing this project develop!