David Lazer Archives

Think everyone will be clamoring to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Think again, a new national study says.

Two-thirds of U.S. residents say they will get a vaccination when one is available, but others may not because of fears of side effects or a lack of trust in the healthcare system, a new survey by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern, and Rutgers has found.

by Peter Ramjug August 6, 2020

Timely test results are necessary to slow the coronavirus. But a new study shows critical delays across the US.

More than 63 percent of U.S. residents are waiting longer than one to two days to get their coronavirus test results—delays that undermine the contact tracing that could identify individuals who are contagious but show no symptoms, according to results of a new survey by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern, and Rutgers.

by Peter Ramjug August 3, 2020

A person wearing a mask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus walks past a U.S. flag displayed in a window in Boston on July 7, 2020. AP Photo/Steven Senne

New survey shows ‘systematic decline’ in domestic approval for US leaders

Amid a record-breaking increase in new cases of SARS-CoV-2, which prompted some states to pause reopening plans, a new survey by Northeastern and other researchers shows that public approval of U.S. governors as well as President Donald Trump has dropped over the last couple of months.

by Khalida Sarwari July 9, 2020

How COVID-19 is affecting support for mail-in voting

How will opinions change as cases across the country fluctuate—particularly in states, such as Arizona or Florida, where cases are rising sharply? That’s the question,…

by Cam Sleeper July 6, 2020

More than a quarter of U.S. residents (27 percent) “describe symptoms in a range that would be considered moderate or severe depression,” according to the report. Photo by iStock

Pandemic takes a toll on mental health of US residents, new national survey shows

As the country enters the fourth month of a “new normal” governed by public health guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19, a new survey by Northeastern and other researchers shows that more than a quarter of U.S. residents “describe symptoms in a range that would be considered moderate or severe depression,” according to the report.

by Molly Callahan June 16, 2020

Wearing gloves, a King County Election worker collects ballots from a drop box in the Washington state primary in Seattle in March. AP Photo by John Froschauer

A majority in the US supports making mail-in voting easier, new study shows

The results, which come as states across the country are planning for what could be a drastically different election in November, show that 60 percent of U.S. residents support making it easier to vote by mail.

by Molly Callahan and Laura Castañón May 28, 2020

According to a survey led by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities, the vast majority (89 percent) of people surveyed oppose the immediate reopening of state economies—though the figure slid 5 percent from late April, when 94 percent of people opposed immediate reopening. AP Photo by Wilfredo Lee

New survey shows growing partisan divide in support for reopening the US

Even as states begin to reopen, a majority of U.S. residents oppose immediate measures. But that opposition is beginning to wane among Republicans, according to new results of a national survey led by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities.

by Molly Callahan May 22, 2020

Twitter has banned political ads. Is Facebook next?

It was the announcement everyone wanted to hear from Mark Zuckerberg, but instead it came from Twitter’s chief executive officer Jack Dorsey: There will be no more political advertising. Don’t expect a similar announcement from Facebook, says David Lazer, University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Sciences at Northeastern.

by Khalida Sarwari October 31, 2019

David Lazer, University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Sciences, was recently named a 2019 Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

At the intersection of technology and Democracy, you’ll find David Lazer

For years, Northeastern professor David Lazer has been studying the ways technology shapes Democracy in the United States. Things aren’t looking good, he says. But with his recent induction into the National Academy of Public Administration, he stands to help.

by Molly Callahan September 25, 2019

Northeastern researchers are working to determine how fake news ends up in the news feeds of Facebook users. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

How does fake news spread on Facebook?

Four Northeastern professors have been selected to receive access to closely guarded Facebook data that could shed light on how people share fake news on social media.

by Molly Callahan May 14, 2019

David Lazer