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Media Effects Research Lab

The Media Effects Research Laboratory is dedicated to conducting empirical research on the social and psychological effects of media messages and technology.

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<p>How much the average user actually cares to know how AI works depends on the extent to which a system meets users’ expectations, according to a new study by a team that includes Penn State researchers. Using a fabricated algorithm-driven dating website, the team found that whether the system met, exceeded or fell short of user expectations directly corresponded to how much the user trusted the AI and wanted to know about how it worked.</p>

January 21, 2026

To explain or not? Need for AI transparency depends on user expectation

November 06, 2025

Exposing AI Bias by Crowdsourcing: Democratizing Critique of Large Language Models

<p>Intuitive questions asked by everyday internet users are just as effective at triggering biased responses from artificial intelligence chatbots as advanced technical inquiries, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.</p>

November 04, 2025

Lay intuition as effective at jailbreaking AI chatbots as technical methods

October 02, 2025

Racial Bias in AI Training Data: Do Laypersons Notice?

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