press releases
2010
- 2024-10-07 Autobiographical Memory in the Digital Age: Our Lives in the Mirror of Our Data read article
Never before have people recorded more information about their lives than today. But what does this mean for the way we remember our lives and how we talk about them? Research-ers from the University of Würzburg and the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien Tübingen are trying to find answers to these questions.
- 2023-03-28 Linking Research and Practice read article
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research Grants €7.5 Million to Collaborative Project Advancing Digital-Supported MINT (STEM) Education.
- 2022-12-13 Opposition to Wind Farms: Study Shows Negative Influence of Belief in Conspiracy Theories read article
To reduce CO2 emissions and meet the Paris climate targets, the German government has set ambitious goals to expand wind energy. However, installing new windmills often fails due to the resistance of the local population. Researchers at the Leibniz Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen have now shown that belief in conspiracy theories plays a decisive role in the opposition to wind turbines. In addition, they have determined when the provision of information helps reduce opposition and when it remains ineffective.
- 2022-11-22 University of Tübingen Founds Research Center for Science Communication read article
Professor Olaf Kramer from the Department of General Rhetoric heads the center, which will also involve the public
- 2022-09-07 Video Conferences: Networking Skills Are Key read article
A study conducted by the Tübingen-based Leibniz Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) analysed how the individual behaviour of participants attending online video conferences with strangers affects the success of the meeting. The results suggest that good networking skills and low levels of social anxiety can mitigate the potential disadvantages of prolonged remote collaboration. Companies should therefore consciously promote interaction.
- 2022-09-06 New Center for Digital Education read article
University of Tübingen and partner institutions intensify their research on the use of digital media in the classroom.
- 2022-04-07 Digital Media in the Classroom: Quality over Quantity read article
The use of tablets can boost pupils’ willingness to learn – if their potential is maximised
- 2021-11-02 Pushing the Button: Study Reveals Importance of Pause Button for the Comprehension of Educational Videos read article
How do you calculate the oxygen content of water? How does the European Union work? These and many other questions are addressed in countless videos on various internet platforms, the most prominent of which is YouTube. But how do people actually use these educational videos? In the context of an interdisciplinary research project, scien-tists at the Leibniz Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM), the German Institute for Adult Edu-cation (DIE) and the TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology have now gained first insights into when and why users of online video platforms push the pause button.
- 2021-09-28 Polarization and Disinformation: IWM and University of Tübingen host international expert forum read article
From 4 to 6 October, an interdisciplinary symposium organised by the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) and the University of Tübingen will bring together renowned experts from all over the world to share their insights on topics such as opinion polarization, fake news mechanisms or conspiracy theories. The aim is not only to understand these phenomena, but also to develop practical solutions to the challenges they pose. The keynotes will be streamed live and are open to the public.
- 2021-08-05 Increasing Vaccination Intentions: Study Sheds Light on Potential Persuasive Power of the Social Environment read article
In view of declining vaccination numbers and increasing Covid-19 cases, politicians are urging the public to continue taking up vaccination offers. However, the number of daily administered first doses is currently declining because many people are still sceptical about immunisation. This also applies, among others, to people who are prone to conspiracy theories. Researchers at the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen have now discovered: even doubters are willing to get vaccinated – if their close social environment expects them to do so.
- 2021-06-11 Algorithms Aid Decision-Making During Pandemic: Public Generally Accepting of Computer Assistance read article
During the pandemic, many decisions with far-reaching consequences had to be made. Algorithms could have helped in making these. Researchers at the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen, Germany, have now discovered that citizens generally do not object to the use of algorithm-based advice by those in responsible positions as long as a human is the final decision-maker.
- 2020-11-26 Evaluation: Leibniz Association publishes outstanding report on the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen read article
In a statement released on November 24, the Leibniz Association Senate recommended that the German federal and Länder governments continue to support the institute for the next seven years. The recommendation is based on the assessment report written as part of a regular evaluation. The report attests to the IWM’s excellent strategic develop-ments and research achievements. The committee of independent academics was also impressed by the institution’s wide range of transfer activities. The expansions that have already been initiated and those planned for the future were expressly welcomed.
- 2018-09-28 Top level research on machine learning: The Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien as member of the new Tübingen Cluster of Excellence read article
The funding decisions on the new Clusters of Excellence in Germany’s Excellence Strategy have now been made: The expert committee and the research ministers of the federal and state governments selected 57 Clusters of Excellence to be funded from among 88 initial project submissions on September 27, 2018. Among them is the cluster “Machine Learning in Science” of the University of Tübingen and its partners, the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. The IWM supports the top level research of the cluster with its expertise on the influence of digital media on knowledge and communication processes.
- 2018-07-02 The plastic brain: Better connectivity of brain regions with training read article
Researchers at the Leibniz-Institutes für Wissensmedien (IWM) and of the Graduate School and Research Network LEAD at the University of Tübingen now found out: Short and intensive arithmetic training strengthens the neuronal connections between brain regions in adults. This neuronal plasticity through numerical learning was already detectable after only five training sessions.
- 2018-03-16 Responsibility as a burden: Responsible power-holders experience the highest stress levels read article
People in high-power positions experience more stress if they are aware of their responsibility than if they recognize the freedom their position provides. Research of the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen has shown this. If power-holders think about their responsibility (rather than their personal freedom) they do act more fairly towards others – but at the same time, their own stress level rises.
- 2018-03-06 Facebook and Co. – How social networks can help us receive useful information and emotional support read article
Logging in Facebook or other social networks is nowadays part of our daily routine. While constant checking of status messages is often associated with stress, envy and reduced wellbeing, researchers of the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) found out: Stress is influenced by external factors and not by Facebook usage. Concerns that Facebook has a negative impact on the wellbeing are therefore exaggerated. The platform even offers possibilities of social support. The professional use of social media pays off as well: Anyone who uses LinkedIn has professional information advantages.
- 2018-02-08 When fear is googling too, the motivation for cancer screening rises read article
Scientists of the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien found out: The fear of cancer influences whether people after searching medical information online go to cancer check-ups or not. People who look up information on cancer screening on the internet, plan to go to their screenings more often – but only if they are afraid of getting cancer.
- 2017-12-14 Web maps for citizen scientists. New online tools aim to facilitate the stocktaking of species diversity read article
- 2017-12-08 How do we use search engines for learning? New interdisciplinary project on “search as learning” read article
- 2017-12-06 The catch-up or fallback illusion: Why we accidentally slow-down people on the motorway and lose football matches read article
- 2017-04-25 Do Football Fans of Rival Teams See the Same Football Game Through Different Eyes? read article
- 2010-07-15 First-time film viewers give new insights how to comprehend film read article
- 2010-02-26 Open House: “Virtual Realities” at the KMRC Tuebingen read article