Governance by and through testing: What values, rationales and expectations influence the use of testing?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries used tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, how these tests were deployed varied considerably. A research project supported by the FWF is investigating which conclusions can be drawn from the use and design of technologies in pandemic management.

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The evolving office: new project examines media discourse on the introduction of digital media into our offices

The changes in media that come with digitalisation are also changing how we work in offices. Over the next two years, media and communication researcher Caroline Roth-Ebner and her team will examine how this so-called mediatization of offices has been discussed in media discourse since the 1980s. The project is funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF.

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The Dunning-Kruger effect and the muesli bar: Those who know the least tend to believe they are highly competent

The Dunning-Kruger effect can be observed in many different areas: Those who know the least often think of themselves as particularly competent, while those with a lot of knowledge tend to underestimate their own expertise. A research team recently investigated the extent to which this phenomenon can be observed in the area of media and nutrition. The results are clear: Even when it comes to evaluating a supposedly healthy low-carb bar, people who are not competent at all consider themselves to be particularly competent.

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Supporting the mental health of adolescents in Eastern Europe

Early adolescence is often a crucial time when it comes to healthy continued development in terms of mental health. Young people in Eastern Europe are currently facing particular challenges, as they are confronted by poverty and inequality on the one hand, and are often adversely affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine on the other. Heather Foran is working with partners to develop tools to provide affordable and scalable mental health programmes for the young people of Eastern Europe in particular. In recent weeks, her team has visited Moldova and Northern Macedonia for the purpose of training.

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