The Public Interest Communication Research Laboratory is dedicated to conducting empirical research on strategic communication for the public interest. Lab members undertake quantitative and qualitative social science studies with prosocial outcomes.
Housed in the West Virginia University Reed College of Media's Innovation Center, PIC lab researchers collaborate, share results and ideas, test and build theory, identify and seek grant opportunities and more. Ultimately, our leaders, affiliates, partners and student members work together to conduct research that is methodologically rigorous, theory-based and practically relevant.
Lab members undertake quantitative and qualitative social science studies with prosocial outcomes. Research in this lab investigates multiple types of media and mass communication in relation to various psychological, cognitive, affective and behavioral outcomes with implications for serving public interest.
Our lab houses researchers with expertise in many areas such as risk, crisis and disaster communication; public relations and public affairs; public communication ethics; nonprofit communication; media effects; mass communication theory; health communication; emerging technology and social, digital and mobile media; and advertising. We work to train leading undergraduate and graduate students to continue the legacy of pursuing social science for social change.
Public interest communication (PIC) merges theory and practice by examining the development, implementation, and evaluation of science-based strategic communication efforts to achieve and sustain a public’s attitudinal and/or behavioral changes regarding a public interest issue beyond the particular interests of any single organization.
The PIC Lab was awarded a contract with the West Virginia Center for Rural Health Development to perform COVID-19 messaging analysis to guide a communication campaign developed by Digital Relativity, a Fayetteville company, also contracted with the Center for Rural Health Development. Read more.