Kurt Neuwirth

Dr. Kurt Neuwirth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, specializing in mass communication, research design, and methods. His research focuses on media content effects on hazard perception, emotional reactions to risk, and changes in behavior. He also explores how media shape public opinion, particularly regarding hazards and their societal impacts. Notably, his work examines the interplay between values and risk-benefit perceptions.

He earned his Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1995. Dr. Neuwirth led a federally funded grant (#H75/ATH598322-07) from 1995 to 1999, investigating how people perceive risks associated with eating fish. This role as Principal Investigator (PI) highlights his expertise in risk communication and public health contexts.

His research interests span risk communication, public opinion dynamics, mediated communication, and theoretical frameworks like the Spiral of Silence and Second Person Effect. Recent work includes empirical assessments of moral reasoning schemas and the effects of media on campus drinking behaviors.

Dr. Neuwirth has presented at regional conferences on topics ranging from Lakoff’s Moral Strength Schema to heuristic processing in elections. His contributions bridge communication theory and applied research in health, politics, and environmental contexts.