Dannagal G. Young

Dannagal Goldthwaite Young

Professor
 

Office: 240 Pearson Hall

Education

  • Ph.D. – Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania
  • M.A. – Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania
  • B.A. – University of New Hampshire

Biography

Dannagal Goldthwaite Young (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2007) is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include political media effects, public opinion, political satire and the psychology of political humor.

In addition to her books Irony and Outrage and Wrong, Young's research has been published in numerous journals including Media Psychology, Political Communication, International Journal of Press/Politics, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, and Mass Media and Society

Young has appeared on CNN, NPR, and various national and international podcasts. Her 2020 TED talk explaining how our psychology shapes our politics has been viewed 2 million times. 

Awards

Excellence in Teaching Award​, ​2014, University of Delaware

Distinguished Research Fellow of the Annenberg Public Policy Center,  2013, University of Pennsylvania​

​Courses Taught ​

COMM245: Mass Communication and Culture

COMM418/618: Special Topics: Entertainment and Politics

COMM452/652: Communication and Persuasion

COMM408: New Media Project Development

Media mentions
  • Figure 1. Overall Trust in Musk, DOGE, and Trump

    New Research from UD’s Center for Political Communication Shows Little Public Trust in Musk, DOGE

    March 18, 2025 | Written by Dannagal Young
    New data from the Center for Political Communication (CPC) at the University of Delaware shows many Americans have little trust in either Elon Musk or the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Only one in four Americans report “a lot” or “a great deal” of trust in Musk or DOGE. And only about half of Republicans report “a lot” or “a great deal” of trust in either (compared to 70% of Republicans who report “a lot” or “a great deal” of trust in President Trump). Meanwhile, among independent voters, only 11% report “a lot” or “a great deal” of trust in Musk and 13% in DOGE.
  • Why the News Feels Overwhelming—And How to Cope

    February 21, 2025 | Written by Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson of Scientific American
    An explanation of the science behind news fatigue, plus expert advice to take control and protect your well-being while staying engaged
  • The Super Bowl Halftime Show Was Tailor Made to Trigger MAGA

    February 11, 2025 | Written by The Daily Beast
    The New Abnormal hosts ponder whether there was more than meets the eye in Kendrick Lamar’s halftime Super Bowl performance.