Harmony Labs

07/17/2025

Beliefs about individual agency can shape support for systemic change, and understanding that complexity is key to advancing systemic equality.

Our latest research shows that very few people buy into the idea that merit alone explains why some groups get ahead—that success is just about working harder or being more capable. Yet, when it comes to real-life systems like healthcare, most still hold individuals responsible for their own health, even while recognizing systemic barriers.

This creates a meaningful challenge:

💪 For individualistic audiences who value autonomy or authority, stories need to show how systems limit personal agency and freedom unevenly, helping them see that not everyone starts on equal footing.

🚨 For those who view the system as overwhelmingly powerful, there’s an opportunity to highlight how individuals can and do succeed despite systemic obstacles, especially where personal action combines with systemic reform.

Understanding these nuanced beliefs about agency is critical for anyone working toward systemic equality, health equity, or racial justice.

Explore more findings in Part II of our latest Deep Story Dispatch:

Part II of our ongoing survey dispatch capturing audiences’ evolving deep stories on equality

07/11/2025

Did you know 95% of people practice the humanities in their daily lives, often without even realizing it? From book clubs and video essays to history podcasts and your favorite TV shows, the humanities are everywhere, helping us make sense of art, technology, and culture.

At their core, the humanities are about meaning-making. Our new study, Humanities Unbound, reveals how all kinds of people—avid analysts, culture enthusiasts, and even skeptics—engage in humanistic activities every day. Read the full report and learn more:

The practice of humanities is alive and well—just not in the spaces you’d necessarily expect

07/03/2025

🇺🇸 🎭 American pop culture is full of stories about individuals changing broken systems. These stories reflect a deeper reality: individualism shapes our national identity, policies, and sense of equity in ways we rarely question.

In , essays from six organizations, including Harmony Labs, explore how individualism impacts health and racial equity in the U.S.

If you work public health, policy, or narrative change—or if you're simply curious about how American values like freedom and individualism evolve—these essays offer research, strategies, and questions for reflection.

Read the collection and let us know which insights resonate with you: https://medium.com/narrative-strategies-to-address-individualism-for

07/01/2025

In our contribution to the Different & The Same series, we explore how individualist audiences can become powerful allies in advancing systemic change.

The most effective narrative change works within the stories audiences are already steeped in. Our research shows individualist audiences most readily engage with protagonists exercising choice and control—often in difficult circumstances, facing dangerous enemies.

From Brooklyn Nine-Nine to The Equalizer, we analyze how different storytelling approaches can make room for every kind of hero working toward systemic equality.

Read our full essay: https://medium.com/narrative-strategies-to-address-individualism-for/changemakers-of-all-stripes-6df1c5ee70ea

Different & The Same is a collaborative effort that brings together six organizations—Berkeley Media Studies Group, FrameWorks Institute, Harmony Labs, Narrative Initiative, Race Forward, and Radical Communicators Network—exploring how individualism shapes behaviors and systems.

Effective narratives on systemic equality can make room for every kind of hero

06/16/2025

Turn on any news channel, scroll through social media, or chat with neighbors—you'll find no shortage of people ready to tear down what isn't working. But here's what we're not great at: imagining what comes next.

When it comes to equality, our research reveals a striking blindspot. Across values, several audiences struggle to picture what a truly equitable society could look like.

This "imagination gap" suggests that for many, equality remains a vague aspiration rather than a concrete vision. And realizing a true vision of equality means articulating the future we want, not just rejecting the way things are now.

Through our Deep Story Dispatch, we understand how the idea of "equality" lands differently across audiences. If we want real progress, we need stories that reflect their diverse values so everyone can see themselves in the journey, even if the routes we take may look different.

Explore our latest findings about how people perceive equality, individualism, deservingness, and systems change. Understanding these "deep stories" is key to building a future where equality is more than just an ideal.

Read more:

Ongoing survey dispatch capturing audiences’ evolving deep stories on equality, and the role they can play in ending systemic racism and health inequity

03/20/2025

This year, we’re launching a new research tool that helps us understand the underlying stories that represent people’s most closely held beliefs. Unlike existing tracking surveys, the Deep Story Survey System captures not just what audiences say they want, but how they make meaning through the stories they consume. Read more about our approach:

Our new survey system reveals audiences’ deep stories, connecting attitudes and opinions with media consumption patterns

03/10/2025

Audience research shouldn’t constrain creativity—it should fuel it. Our PBS Digital Studios partnership demonstrates how researchers and creators can work together to develop audience-first content that drives innovation and reaches new corners of the internet.

Expanding YouTube audiences by tapping into unique curiosity

01/29/2025

How does entertainment influence people's ideas about democracy? Our new research with Democracy 2076 shows how stories of transformation—not stability—help Americans imagine better futures. Catch the highlights and watch our research briefing here:

Democracy stories in entertainment are not only prevalent, they are also popular and persuasive.

01/17/2025

Our new research with Democracy 2076 is officially live ✨ This public briefing had our largest turnout yet. Watch the expert discussion and get the full report now:

Democracy stories in entertainment are not only prevalent, they are also popular and persuasive.

01/13/2025

Last chance to join tomorrow’s democracy research briefing, happening at 12pm ET! Only a handful of spots remain for a 60-minute session hosted by Democracy 2076 and Harmony Labs exploring the impact of government portrayals in entertainment media on attitudes towards democracy. We're close to a full house so secure your spot soon:

Democracy 2076 and Harmony Labs recently teamed up to explore how depiction of government in entertainment media informs people’s understanding of democracy, and how those depictions might give them agency and hope for a future of American democracy that they are optimistic about. What we found mi...

01/07/2025

⚡️ 🎬 🇺🇸 New Research Briefing 1/14 🇺🇸 🎬 ⚡️

Democracy 2076 and Harmony Labs recently teamed up to understand how entertainment media might be shaping people’s understanding of democracy.

On January 14 at 12pm ET, we will share findings from our first-of-its-kind research on how four different U.S. audiences encounter government in the streaming content they engaged with over one year, and how this engagement shapes attitudes toward democracy and the future.

Expect a-ha moments, actionable insights, as well as what’s next for this important work. Register here to join us in a 60-minute learning session, happening next week:

Register now for our latest research briefing on January 14, 2025 @ 12 pm ET

12/18/2024

🚨 New Research Alert! We just launched Part 2 of our Move Them or Lose Them series with Harmony Labs! 🚀

In this new report, we explore strategies for reaching the "Moveable Middle" audience—a large portion of Americans across racial and ethnic backgrounds who are moveable on the issue of immigration.

👉 Part 1 (already out!) focused on understanding who the “Moveable Middle” is. Now, in Part 2, we're giving you the tools to connect with them where they are and move them toward action.

Check out parts 1 & 2 here: https://defineamerican.com/research/move-them-or-lose-them/