Secrets to better communication

+ the stickiness of Machiavelli’s advice, 500 years on US Edition - Today's top story: Messages can trigger the opposite of their desired effect − but you can avoid communication that backfires [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 June 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday − and welcome to the best of The Conversation U.S. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Why India and Pakistan’s T20 cricket showdown in New York is such a big deal]( - [Records of Pompeii’s survivors have been found – and archaeologists are starting to understand how they rebuilt their lives]( I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the best speaker. I mangle words, mumble at times and sometimes get lost along the way to the point I had hoped to get across. But because good communication is essential to doing my job well – and pretty much everything else I hope to accomplish involving conveying information to other people, whether ordering a burger or renovating a home – I continually try to improve how I communicate with my team and others I work with. If you’re trying to inform, persuade or correct misinformation, there are plenty of ways [well-intended communications can go wrong](, writes Sherry Seethaler, who teaches research communications at the University of California, San Diego. She describes how intuitive strategies to promote dental flossing, drink less alcohol and discourage littering all backfired – leading to actions that were the opposite of what was intended. “The research demonstrates that when it comes to effective communication strategies, trusting your instincts can lead you astray,” Seethaler writes. “The same research provides insight into why you may instinctively react in certain ways to some messages.” She adds that the research also provides several evidence-based ways to avoid these backfires and improve how you communicate with others. Bryan Keogh Managing Editor Readers' picks [Messages can trigger the opposite of their desired effect − but you can avoid communication that backfires]( Sherry Seethaler, University of California, San Diego Research reveals lots of reasons why well-meaning attempts to inform, persuade or correct misinformation go awry. It also identifies ways to avoid these communication backfires. - [500 years ago, Machiavelli warned the public not to get complacent in the face of self-interested charismatic figures]( Vickie B. Sullivan, Tufts University Renaissance philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli dissected the threats authoritarian figures pose to representative government. - [Emigration: The hidden catalyst behind the rise of the radical right in Europe’s depopulating regions]( Rafaela Dancygier, Princeton University; David Laitin, Stanford University Researchers find a relationship between population declines in rural areas and support for populist radical right parties in 28 EU countries. - [‘The first wave went through hell’ – how the 16th Infantry Regiment’s heroism helped bring victory on D-Day]( Joseph Harris Carpenter, University of Texas at Arlington In the first wave to hit the beach, troops were met by withering German gunfire. But they kept pushing and established a small beachhead from which the invasion could continue. - [Heat index warnings can save lives on dangerously hot days − if people understand what they mean]( Micki Olson, University at Albany, State University of New York A risk expert explains how to read the heat index and interpret extreme heat warnings, and how to stay safe. Editors' picks [China turns to private hackers as it cracks down on online activists on Tiananmen Square anniversary]( Christopher K. Tong, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Beijing’s cyber operations are largely conducted in the shadows. But a recent leak has shed light on how the state is working with private companies to target online activism. - [Life on the US-Mexico border is chaotic. An immigration scholar explains why − and it’s not for the reasons that some GOP lawmakers claim]( William McCorkle, College of Charleston When a COVID-19-era policy was set to expire in May 2023, Republican officials predicted that the US-Mexico border would be overrun with migrants. That didn’t happen. - [Modi’s narrow win suggests Indian voters saw through religious rhetoric, opting instead to curtail his political power]( Sumit Ganguly, Indiana University The ruling BJP failed to see that those who had not benefited from the country’s rapid economic growth were deeply unhappy. - [Biden’s immigration order won’t fix problems quickly – 4 things to know about what’s changing]( Jean Lantz Reisz, University of Southern California Biden’s executive order won’t apply to undocumented minors who enter the US alone. And the order will require the help of Mexico and other countries. - [Only 1.8% of US doctors were Black in 1906 – and the legacy of inequality in medical education has not yet been erased]( Benjamin Chrisinger, Tufts University Increased mistrust of the US medical profession and higher mortality rates are two consequences of the lack of Black doctors. News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Test your knowledge with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. Questions this week on D-Day, Mexico and a World Cup. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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