George Pearson, Ph.D.
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science
George Pearson studies how the structure of digital media systems influences the cognitive processing of tobacco related messages. He is also interested in the spread of tobacco misinformation online.
George Pearson’s current research program examines how the structures of digital media environments influence how people process information about tobacco products. These include features such as the high-choice in information sources; the rise of user-generated content; the ability for (mis)information to spread quickly online; the use of echo chambers; and the blurring of content boundaries (where personal updates from friends is presented side-by-side with important health news).
His previous research focused on how structural changes to the media landscape altered news consumption and production, focusing particularly on the rise of alternative information sources, and rise of novel pathways to find information (such as via social media).
He received his Ph.D. in Communication from The Ohio State University in 2019, and an M.A. in Political Science & Linguistics from the University of Glasgow. He has also worked in an industry setting: in data analytics within a tech startup, as well as public sector corporate communications.
Education
- M.A., University of Glasgow, 2011
- Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 2019
Annenberg Presentations and Events at ICA 2023
The International Communication Association will hold its 73rd annual conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
