David Rapp

David Rapp is the Walter Dill Scott Professor at Northwestern University, with joint appointments in the Department of Psychology and the School of Education and Social Policy. He directs the Reading Comprehension Lab, investigating cognitive mechanisms of discourse processing, memory integration, and knowledge revision. His work bridges cognitive and educational psychology, focusing on how people comprehend texts, visualizations, and multimedia while addressing real-world challenges like misinformation resilience.

Research Focus

Rapp's research examines dynamic comprehension processes, including:

• Activation and integration of prior knowledge during reading
• Impacts of inaccurate information on belief formation and memory
• Metacognitive strategies to improve comprehension accuracy
• Generalization of learning across text, maps, and visualizations
• Design of educational interventions for literacy enhancement

His interdisciplinary approach connects cognitive theory with practical applications in education and media literacy.

Publication Insights

Recent articles (2021-2024) reveal strong emphasis on misinformation dynamics, exploring how false beliefs persist (continued influence effect), metacognitive interventions to reduce susceptibility, and social media's role in information distortion. Secondary themes include collaborative cognition, visualization literacy, and poetry comprehension, reflecting broad applications of cognitive principles to learning contexts.

Awards and Honors

• Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence
• McKnight Land-Grant Professor (2006)
• Tom Trabasso Young Investigator Award (2010)
• Fellow, Association for Psychological Science

Academic Leadership

Rapp mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers in the Reading Comprehension Lab, overseeing projects on discourse processing and learning. His NSF, DOE, and NIA-funded grants support investigations into:

• Cognitive mechanisms of knowledge revision
• Educational applications of visualization technologies
• Interventions for misinformation resilience

The lab collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop tools enhancing comprehension in formal and informal learning environments.