2020 research article

The top 10 journal articles of 2020

In 2020, APA’s 89 journals published more than 5,000 articles—the most ever and 25% more than in 2019. Here’s a quick look at the 10 most downloaded to date.

Vol. 52 No. 1 Print version: page 24

1. Me, My Selfie, and I: The Relations Between Selfie Behaviors, Body Image, Self-Objectification, and Self-Esteem in Young Women

Veldhuis, j., et al..

Young women who appreciate their bodies and consider them physical objects are more likely to select, edit, and post selfies to social media, suggests this study in Psychology of Popular Media (Vol. 9, No. 1). Researchers surveyed 179 women, ages 18 to 25, on how often they took selfies, how they selected selfies to post, how often they used filters and editing techniques, and how carefully they planned their selfie postings. They also assessed participants’ levels of body appreciation and dissatisfaction, self-objectification, and self-esteem. Higher levels of self-objectification were linked to more time spent on all selfie behaviors, while body appreciation was related to more time spent selecting selfies to post, but not frequency of taking or editing selfies. Body dissatisfaction and self-esteem were not associated with selfie behaviors. DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000206

2. A Closer Look at Appearance and Social Media: Measuring Activity, Self-Presentation, and Social Comparison and Their Associations With Emotional Adjustment

Zimmer-gembeck, m. j., et al..

This Psychology of Popular Media (online first publication) article presents a tool to assess young people’s preoccupation with their physical appearance on social media. Researchers administered a 21-item survey about social media to 281 Australian high school students. They identified 18 items with strong inter-item correlation centered on three categories of social media behavior: online self-presentation, appearance-related online activity, and appearance comparison. In a second study with 327 Australian university students, scores on the 18-item survey were found to be associated with measures of social anxiety and depressive symptoms, appearance-related support from others, general interpersonal stress, coping flexibility, sexual harassment, disordered eating, and other factors. The researchers also found that young women engaged in more appearance-related social media activity and appearance comparison than did young men. DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000277

3. The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019) Outbreak: Amplification of Public Health Consequences by Media Exposure

Garfin, d. r., et al..

Repeated media exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with psychological distress and other public health consequences, according to this commentary in Health Psychology (Vol. 39, No. 5). The authors reviewed research about trends in health behavior and psychological distress as a response to media coverage of crises, including terrorist attacks, school shootings, and disease outbreaks. They found that repeated media exposure to collective crises was associated with increased anxiety and heightened acute and post-traumatic stress, with downstream effects on health outcomes such as new incidence of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, misinformation can further amplify stress responses and lead to misplaced or misguided health-protective and help-seeking behaviors. The authors recommended public health agencies use social media strategically, such as with hashtags, to keep residents updated during the pandemic. They also urged the public to avoid sensationalism and repeated coverage of the same information. DOI: 10.1037/hea0000875

4. Barriers to Mental Health Treatment Among Individuals With Social Anxiety Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Goetter, e. m., et al..

This study in Psychological Services (Vol. 17, No. 1) indicates that 3 in 4 people who suffer from anxiety do not receive proper care. Researchers recruited 226 participants in the United States who were previously diagnosed with social anxiety disorder or generalized anxiety disorder and assessed their symptom severity and asked them to self-report any barriers to treatment. Shame and stigma were the highest cited barriers, followed by logistical and financial barriers and not knowing where to seek treatment. Participants with more severe symptoms reported more barriers to treatment than those with milder symptoms. Racial and ethnic minorities reported more barriers than racial and ethnic majorities even after controlling for symptom severity. The researchers called for increased patient education and more culturally sensitive outreach to reduce treatment barriers. DOI: 10.1037/ser0000254

5. The Construction of “Critical Thinking”: Between How We Think and What We Believe

This History of Psychology (Vol. 23, No. 3) article examines the emergence of “critical thinking” as a psychological concept. The author describes how, between World War I and World War II in the United States, the concept emerged out of growing concerns about how easily people’s beliefs could be changed and was constructed in a way that was independent of what people believed. The author delves into how original measurements of critical thinking avoided assumptions about the accuracy of specific real-world beliefs and details how subsequent critical thinking tests increasingly focused on logical abilities, often favoring outcome (what we believe) over process (how we think). DOI: 10.1037/hop0000145

6. Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder: Integration of Alcoholics Anonymous and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Breuninger, m. m., et al..

This article in Training and Education in Professional Psychology (Vol. 14, No. 1) details how to work with alcohol use disorder patients who are participating in both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The authors point to distinctions between AA and CBT: The goal of AA is total abstinence and the primary therapeutic relationship is with a peer in recovery, while CBT takes a less absolute approach and the primary relationship is with a psychotherapist. The authors also point to commonalities: both approaches emphasize identifying and replacing dysfunctional beliefs and place value in social support. The authors recommend clinicians and trainees become more educated about AA and recommend a translation of the 12-step language into CBT terminology to bridge the gap. DOI: 10.1037/tep0000265

7. Positivity Pays Off: Clients’ Perspectives on Positive Compared With Traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression

Geschwind, n., et al..

Positive cognitive behavioral therapy, a version of CBT focused on exploring exceptions to the problem rather than the problem itself, personal strengths, and embracing positivity, works well to counter depressive symptoms and build well-being, according to this study in Psychotherapy (Vol. 57, No. 3). Participants received a block of eight sessions of traditional CBT and a block of eight sessions of positive CBT. Researchers held in-depth interviews with 12 of these participants. Despite initial skepticism, most participants reported preferring positive CBT but indicated experiencing a steeper learning curve than with traditional CBT. Researchers attributed positive CBT’s favorability to four factors: feeling empowered, benefiting from effects of positive emotions, learning to appreciate baby steps, and rediscovering optimism as a personal strength. DOI: 10.1037/pst0000288

8. Targeted Prescription of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Versus Person-Centered Counseling for Depression Using a Machine Learning Approach

Delgadillo, j., & gonzalez salas duhne, p..

Amachine learning algorithm can identify which patients would derive more benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) versus counseling for depression, suggests research in this Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (Vol. 88, No. 1) article. Researchers retrospectively explored data from 1,085 patients in the United Kingdom treated with either CBT or counseling for depression and discovered six patient characteristics—age, employment status, disability, and three diagnostic measures of major depression and social adjustment—relevant to developing an algorithm for prescribing the best approach. The researchers then used the algorithm to determine which therapy would work best for an additional 350 patients with depression. They found that patients receiving their optimal treatment type were twice as likely to improve significantly. DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000476

9. Traumatic Stress in the Age of COVID-19: A Call to Close Critical Gaps and Adapt to New Realities

Horesh, d., & brown, a. d..

This article in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (Vol. 12, No. 4) argues that COVID-19 should be examined from a post-traumatic stress perspective. The authors call for mental health researchers and clinicians to develop better diagnoses and prevention strategies for COVID-related traumatic stress; create guidelines and talking points for the media and government officials to use when speaking to an anxious, and potentially traumatized, public; and provide mental health training to professionals in health care, education, childcare, and occupational support in order to reach more people. DOI: 10.1037/tra0000592

10. Emotional Intelligence Predicts Academic Performance: A Meta-Analysis

Maccann, c., et al..

Students with high emotional intelligence get better grades and score higher on standardized tests, according to the research presented in this article in Psychological Bulletin (Vol. 146, No. 2). Researchers analyzed data from 158 studies representing more than 42,529 students—ranging in age from elementary school to college—from 27 countries. The researchers found that students with higher emotional intelligence earned better grades and scored higher on achievement tests than those with lower emotional intelligence. This finding was true even when controlling for intelligence and personality factors, and the association held regardless of age. The researchers suggest that students with higher emotional intelligence succeed because they cope well with negative emotions that can harm academic performance; they form stronger relationships with teachers, peers, and family; and their knowledge of human motivations and socialinteractions helps them understand humanities subject matter. DOI: 10.1037/bul0000219

5 interviews to listen to now

Psychology’s most innovative thinkers are featured on APA’s Speaking of Psychology podcast , which highlights important research and helps listeners apply psychology to their lives. The most popular episodes of 2020, as measured by the number of downloads in the first 30 days, were: 

• How to have meaningful dialogues despite political differences , with  Tania Israel, PhD
• Canine cognition and the survival of the friendliest , with  Brian Hare, PhD  
• The challenges faced by women in leadership , with  Alice Eagly, PhD
• How to choose effective, science-based mental health apps , with  Stephen Schueller, PhD  
• Psychedelic therapy , with Roland Griffiths, PhD  

Listen to all of the Speaking of Psychology episodes .

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Research articles

Reply to: The effect of interventions on COVID-19

• Seth Flaxman
• Swapnil Mishra
• Samir Bhatt

The effect of interventions on COVID-19

• Kristian Soltesz
• Fredrik Gustafsson
• Bo Bernhardsson

Nociceptive nerves regulate haematopoietic stem cell mobilization

Stimulation of pain-sensing neurons, which can be achieved in mice by the ingestion of capsaicin, promotes the migration of haematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow into the blood.

• Dachuan Zhang
• Paul S. Frenette

Chromothripsis drives the evolution of gene amplification in cancer

Chromothripsis—a process during which chromosomes are ‘shattered’—drives the evolution of gene amplification and subsequent drug resistance in cancer cells.

• Ofer Shoshani
• Simon F. Brunner
• Don W. Cleveland

Pairing of segmentation clock genes drives robust pattern formation

The pairing of genes is essential for robust expression of segmentation clock genes during development in zebrafish embryos.

• Oriana Q. H. Zinani
• Kemal Keseroğlu
• Ertuğrul M. Özbudak

Molecular basis of nucleosomal H3K36 methylation by NSD methyltransferases

Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the nucleosome-bound NSD2 and NSD3 histone methyltransferases reveal the molecular basis of their histone modification activity, and show how mutations in these proteins can lead to oncogenesis.

• Zhanxin Wang

Cell-type-specific asynchronous modulation of PKA by dopamine in learning

The net PKA activities in each class of spiny projection neuron in the nucleus accumbens of the mouse are dichotomously modulated by asynchronous positive and negative dopamine signals during different phases of learning.

• Suk Joon Lee
• Bart Lodder
• Bernardo L. Sabatini

RETRACTED ARTICLE: IspH inhibitors kill Gram-negative bacteria and mobilize immune clearance

A class of compounds with a dual mechanism of action—direct targeting of IspH and stimulation of cytotoxic γδ T cells to enhance pathogen clearance—are active against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

• Kumar Sachin Singh
• Rishabh Sharma
• Farokh Dotiwala

A genetic history of the pre-contact Caribbean

Ancient DNA reveals genetic differences between stone-tool users and people associated with ceramic technology in the Caribbean and provides substantially lower estimates of population sizes in the region before European contact.

• Daniel M. Fernandes
• Kendra A. Sirak
• David Reich

Astrocytes phagocytose adult hippocampal synapses for circuit homeostasis

In adult mice, astrocytes carry out phagocytosis of excitatory hippocampal synapses through MEGF10 to maintain synaptic and circuit homeostasis.

• Joon-Hyuk Lee
• Ji-young Kim
• Won-Suk Chung

Superconducting qubit to optical photon transduction

A chip-scale platform is developed for the conversion of a single microwave excitation of a superconducting qubit into optical photons, with potential uses in quantum computer networks.

• Mohammad Mirhosseini
• Alp Sipahigil
• Oskar Painter

Mastering Atari, Go, chess and shogi by planning with a learned model

A reinforcement-learning algorithm that combines a tree-based search with a learned model achieves superhuman performance in high-performance planning and visually complex domains, without any knowledge of their underlying dynamics.

• Julian Schrittwieser
• Ioannis Antonoglou
• David Silver

Xolography for linear volumetric 3D printing

By combining the use of photoswitchable photoinitators and intersecting light beams, objects and complex systems can be produced rapidly with higher definition than is possible using state-of-the art macroscopic volumetric methods.

• Martin Regehly
• Yves Garmshausen
• Stefan Hecht

Mechanism of EBV inducing anti-tumour immunity and its therapeutic use

Expression of the Epstein–Barr virus protein LMP1 in B cells increases expression of—and promotes T cell responses to—tumour-associated antigens, delineating a mechanism of infection-induced anti-tumour immunity, which could inform immune-based approaches to cancer treatment.

• Il-Kyu Choi
• Baochun Zhang

Plasmonic topological quasiparticle on the nanometre and femtosecond scales

Topological plasmonic spin textures are excited by shining light on a structured silver film, and imaging defines how these quasiparticle field and spin textures evolve on the nanometre and femtosecond scales.

• Zhikang Zhou
• Hrvoje Petek

Evolving schema representations in orbitofrontal ensembles during learning

Rats learning to solve a succession of odour-sequence problems developed an orbitofrontal cortical representation that reflected the structure—or schema—common across problems.

• Jingfeng Zhou
• Chunying Jia
• Geoffrey Schoenbaum

Boundary-anchored neural mechanisms of location-encoding for self and others

In real-world spatial navigation and observation tasks, oscillatory activity in the human brain encodes representations of self and others, with oscillatory power increasing at locations near the boundaries of the room.

• Matthias Stangl
• Uros Topalovic
• Nanthia Suthana

RANK links thymic regulatory T cells to fetal loss and gestational diabetes in pregnancy

RANK promotes the hormone-mediated development of thymic regulatory T cells during pregnancy; loss of RANK is associated with impaired maturation of maternal regulatory T cells, leading to fetal loss and the development of gestational diabetes.

• Magdalena Paolino
• Rubina Koglgruber
• Josef M. Penninger

Underdetection of cases of COVID-19 in France threatens epidemic control

Analyses of virological and surveillance data in France show that a substantial proportion of symptomatic cases of COVID-19 have remained undetected and that easily accessible and efficient testing is required to control the pandemic.

• Giulia Pullano
• Laura Di Domenico
• Vittoria Colizza

Reply to: Beta human papillomaviruses and skin cancer

• John D. Strickley
• Jonathan L. Messerschmidt
• Shadmehr Demehri

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Science News

These are the most-read science news stories of 2020.

When squeezed to high pressure between two diamonds (shown), a material made of carbon, sulfur and hydrogen can transmit electricity without resistance at room temperature. The discovery ranked among Science News ' most popular in 2020.

Adam Fenster

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By Cassie Martin

December 31, 2020 at 8:00 am

Science News drew over 22 million visitors to our website this year. Our COVID-19 coverage was most popular. Here’s a recap of the other most-read news stories and long reads of 2020.

Top news stories

1. In a first, a person’s immune system fought HIV — and won

Scientists analyzed billions of cells from two people with HIV who don’t require medication to keep the virus under control. What the team found was astonishing: One person had no working copies of HIV in any of the cells, while the other person had just one working copy. What’s more, that one copy was imprisoned in tightly wound DNA.

2. The first room-temperature superconductor has finally been found

Up to 15° Celsius, a material made of carbon, sulfur and hydrogen can conduct electricity without resistance. While the room-temperature superconductor works only at high pressures, the discovery brings scientists a step closer to realizing a more energy-efficient future .

3. Astronomers have found the edge of the Milky Way at last

Computer simulations and observations of nearby galaxies have revealed that the Milky Way stretches 1.9 million light-years across. The measurement could help tease out how massive the galaxy is and exactly how many galaxies orbit it .

4. More ‘murder hornets’ are turning up. Here’s what you need to know

An invasion of Asian giant hornets into North America could spell trouble for honeybees. But the threat that the world’s largest hornet species poses to people is minimal .

5. A star orbiting the Milky Way’s black hole validates Einstein

The odd orbit of a star around the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way’s center confirms Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Rather than tracing out a single ellipse, the star’s orbit rotates over time — the result of the black hole warping spacetime .

Favorite visualization

“ A new 3-D map illuminates the ‘little brain’ within the heart ” ( SN: 6/2/20 ) enthralled online readers. An unprecedented view of the heart’s nerve cell cluster could help scientists better understand what those cells do and perhaps lead to targeted therapies for heart diseases.

Top feature stories

1. After the Notre Dame fire, scientists get a glimpse at the cathedral’s origins

A fire that ripped through Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral in April 2019 gave scientists the opportunity to dig into the cathedral’s history and study the building’s materials , including to learn more about climate change.

2. New fleets of private satellites are clogging the night sky

SpaceX and other private companies are planning to launch thousands of internet satellites into orbit around Earth. Hundreds of the satellites already in outer space are obstructing the view of ground-based telescopes and interfering with astronomers’ research .

3. It’s time to stop debating how to teach kids to read and follow the evidence

Research has identified the most effective approaches for teaching children how to read. Those findings could help resolve a long-standing debate that pits phonics against methods that emphasize understanding the meaning of words .

4. To fight discrimination, the U.S. census needs a different race question

The U.S. census has failed to accurately count certain minority groups. As a result, some sociologists are calling for more nuanced census questions that better reflect how respondents view themselves, as well as how society views them — a clearer metric for measuring discrimination .

5. What lifestyle changes will shrink your carbon footprint the most?

Individual actions around shelter, transportation and food can create ripple effects in society to help mitigate the effects of climate change. But to have the most impact, people need to tailor their efforts to their own circumstances .

Extreme Climate Survey

Science News is collecting reader questions about how to navigate our planet's changing climate.

What do you want to know about extreme heat and how it can lead to extreme weather events?

Pandemic post

Science News has reported on the COVID-19 pandemic since it began, but none of those stories were included in our most-read lists of 2020. That’s because we think the coverage is in a league of its own.

Stories about when, during an infection, the coronavirus is most contagious and debunking the claim that the virus was made in a lab are among our most-read stories of all time. Readers also were drawn to stories about how the coronavirus spreads and C­OVID-19 v­accines .

As Feedback editor, I review every e-mail we receive from Science News readers. In 2020, more than a third of the thousands of e-mails that filled our inbox were about COVID-19. Hunger for information, for certainty in an uncertain time, has been insatiable.

We’ve strived to answer readers’ pandemic-related questions accurately, given the rapid pace of scientific research into the coronavirus and its effects. Some of those questions have been featured in the pages of this magazine, as well as in the Science News Coronavirus Update newsletter — a weekly e-mail that highlights the l­atest research, data and articles on the c­oronavirus and COVID-19.

Everyone at Science News thanks you, our readers, for your sharp, insightful comments and your continued support. We look forward to answering your many science questions, coronavirus-related and not, in the year ahead.

“ Radiation measurement could help guide lengthy lunar missions ” ( SN: 11/7/20, p. 5 ) incorrectly stated that the average daily exposure to cosmic radiation on the moon is 1.5 million times as high as the average daily exposure on Earth. The average daily exposure on the moon is 1,500 times as high as the average daily exposure on Earth.

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.

Not a subscriber? Become one now .

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Nih research matters.

December 22, 2020

2020 Research Highlights — Human Health Advances

Disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment .

With NIH support, scientists across the United States and around the world conduct wide-ranging research to discover ways to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. Groundbreaking NIH-funded research often receives top scientific honors. In 2020, these honors included one of NIH’s own scientists and another NIH-supported scientist who received Nobel Prizes . Here’s just a small sample of the NIH-supported research accomplishments in 2020.

Full 2020 NIH Research Highlights List

20200721-covid.jpg

COVID-19 vaccines and treatments

Since first appearing in China late last year, COVID-19 has become an ongoing global pandemic. NIH researchers quickly began testing potential treatments to help reduce the severity of the disease. Remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment, showed early promise . Results from the completed trial in October showed that it shortened recovery time for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 . NIH research was also instrumental in determining which treatments, such as hydroxychloroquine , were ultimately not effective. Meanwhile, NIH researchers began developing vaccine candidates to protect against the disease. The first COVID-19 vaccine candidate tested in people , co-developed by NIH and the biotech company Moderna, Inc., triggered an immune response against the virus without serious side effects. An analysis in November found the vaccine was safe and well-tolerated, with a vaccine efficacy rate of 94.5% . The FDA approved it for emergency use in December. NIH also launched the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx SM ) initiative to speed innovation in COVID-19 testing. An NIH-funded COVID-19 home test was the first to receive over-the-counter authorization from the FDA.

20200407-heart.jpg

Comparing heart disease treatments

People with moderate to severe but stable heart disease may undergo invasive procedures, such as bypass surgery and stenting, or manage their condition with medication and lifestyle changes alone. A study showed that invasive procedures may offer better symptom relief and quality of life for some patients with chest pain. But for those who didn't have any symptoms, it was safe to begin treatment with non-invasive approaches. The findings may change clinical practice and official guidelines for treating patients.

20200317-prostate-3d-stock.jpg

Combining tests more accurately diagnoses prostate cancer

The type of biopsy traditionally used to diagnose prostate cancer takes systematically spaced tissue samples from the prostate gland. This method isn’t targeted and can lead to uncertainty about whether a man has aggressive prostate cancer. Researchers found that adding MRI-targeted biopsies to the traditional prostate biopsy created a more accurate diagnosis and prediction of the course of prostate cancer. The approach is poised to help reduce both overtreatment and undertreatment of the disease.

20200310-tau.jpg

Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Having a simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms develop would aid the study of treatments to slow or stop its progression. Studies found that a protein called ptau181, which can be measured in the blood, was as good as invasive or expensive tests at diagnosing Alzheimer’s early . Another protein, called ptau217, was even better at predicting who would later develop the disease .  A type of brain imaging could also play a role in tracking disease development. These approaches could help identify people to participate in trials of early treatments or preventive strategies.

20200331-steps.jpg

Number of steps per day more important than step intensity

Walking is an easy way for many inactive people to ease into better health. A goal of 10,000 steps a day is common. A study found that adults who took at least 8,000 steps a day had a reduced risk of death over the following decade than those who only walked 4,000 steps a day. Step intensity (number of steps per minute) didn’t influence the risk of death, suggesting that the total number of steps per day is more important than intensity.

20200922-rash.jpg

Harnessing the health benefits of bacteria

Some types of bacteria cause disease, but others can help protect human health. A strain of bacteria called Lactobacillus crispatus was used as a treatment to prevent recurring bacterial vaginosis . In another study, treatment with the bacterium  Roseomonas mucosa,  taken from healthy human skin, improved eczema in children . These findings show the potential of harnessing the healthy human microbiome to prevent or treat disease.

20200818-contacts.jpg

Multifocal contact lenses slow myopia progression in children

Myopia, also called nearsightedness, is a common vision problem, where close objects can be seen clearly but objects farther away appear blurry. In the U.S., myopia typically begins in childhood. Researchers found that children who wore certain multifocal contact lenses had slower progression of their myopia, or nearsightedness, over three years. The findings support using multifocal contacts to treat myopia in children, which could also help prevent other vision problems later in life.

20200922-concussion.jpg

Biomarkers predict recovery from brain injury

More than a million people in the U.S. experience a mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion, every year. Researchers found that military veterans with higher blood levels of a protein released by injured neurons were more likely to report long-term symptoms. More study is needed to confirm whether this could be used to predict who is at risk of long-term health problems after concussion. Two blood proteins were linked to the time needed by college athletes to return to play following a concussion. These biomarkers may help doctors predict which athletes need additional time to recover.

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20 striking findings from 2020

The global coronavirus pandemic upended life in the United States and around the world in 2020, disrupting how people work, go to school, attend religious services, socialize with friends and family, and much more. But the pandemic wasn’t the only event that shaped the year. The videotaped killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis sparked an international outcry and focused new attention on the treatment of racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. And November’s presidential election appears to have shattered turnout records as around 160 million Americans cast ballots and elected Joe Biden the 46th president.

As 2020 draws to a close, here are 20 striking findings from Pew Research Center’s studies this year, covering the pandemic, race-related tensions, the presidential election and other notable trends that emerged during the year.

Since the very beginning of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, Democrats have been far more likely than Republicans to see COVID-19 as a “major threat” to public health. In November, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents were nearly twice as likely as Republicans and GOP leaners (84% vs. 43%) to see the outbreak as a major threat to the health of the U.S. population, even as both sides agreed on the threat it poses to the national economy.

Partisan divisions over the public health threat posed by the virus were far from the only ones when it came to COVID-19: Democrats and Republicans also differed widely on public health strategies ranging from contact tracing to mask wearing .

The pandemic had a dramatic effect on international travel: By April, around nine-tenths of the world’s population (91%) was living in a country with partially or fully closed borders . More than 7 billion people were living in a country with at least some entry restrictions for noncitizens and nonresidents. And that included about 3 billion people, or 39% of the global population, who lived in countries with borders that were completely closed to noncitizens and nonresidents.

For the first time since at least the Great Depression, a majority of young adults in the U.S. were living with their parents this year. Millions of Americans, especially young adults, moved in with family members as the coronavirus spread. In July, 52% of adults ages 18 to 29 were living with one or both parents, up from 47% in February, before the pandemic. The share of young adults living with their parents rose among men and women, in all major racial and ethnic groups and among metropolitan as well as rural residents. Growth was sharpest among the youngest adults – those ages 18 to 24 – as well as among White young adults.

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, the share of British adults with a favorable view of the EU rose to its highest level on record . The UK formally left the EU in January, concluding a withdrawal process that lasted more than three years. But in Pew Research Center’s first survey in the UK after Brexit, 60% of British adults said they had a positive view of the EU, up from 54% the year before and the highest percentage in surveys dating to 2004. Britons’ views of the EU remained divided along demographic and partisan lines, with younger people, those with a postsecondary education or more and those on the ideological left more likely to express a positive opinion.

International views of China turned much more negative in 2020 , with many people criticizing its handling of COVID-19. The share of adults with an unfavorable opinion of China rose 24 percentage points in Australia, 19 points in the UK and 15 points in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, with sizable increases in other countries as well. In all 14 countries surveyed, a majority of adults expressed a negative view of China. And a median of 61% of adults across these nations said China had done a bad job dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

Around eight-in-ten registered voters in the U.S. (83%) said in the summer that it “ really mattered ” who won this year’s presidential election, the highest share in any presidential election year since at least 2000. Two decades ago, by comparison, just half of registered voters said it “really mattered” who won the contest between George W. Bush and Al Gore.

The election itself underscored voters’ engagement this year: President-elect Joe Biden received more than 81 million votes , while Donald Trump got more than 74 million – the highest and second-highest totals in American history

Trump’s approval rating has been more sharply divided along partisan lines than that of any president in the modern era of polling. Over the course of his presidency through August, an average of 87% of Republicans approved of Trump’s handling of the job, compared with an average of just 6% of Democrats. That 81-point gap between Republicans and Democrats was far larger than the average partisan gaps in approval of Barack Obama (67 points) and George W. Bush (58 points).

Members of the out-of-power party – that is, the party that does not control the White House – have become increasingly critical of U.S. presidents in recent years. The 6% average of Democrats who approved of Trump’s job performance through August was down from an average of 14% of Republicans who approved of Obama and an average of 23% of Democrats who approved of Bush.

Amid widespread economic hardship caused by COVID-19, around four-in-ten U.S. adults said in August that they or someone in their household had been laid off, lost their job or taken a pay cut. The economic shocks of the pandemic affected a broad range of American workers and their families. In the August survey, a quarter of U.S. adults said they or someone in their household had been laid off or lost their job, while around a third (32%) said they or someone in their household had taken a pay cut. All told, 42% of adults reported at least one of these things happening to them or someone in their household. Job losses and pay cuts were especially common among younger adults, Hispanics and those in lower-income families.

More than half of Americans personally know someone who has been hospitalized or died due to COVID-19. In a reflection of the mounting toll the virus has taken, 54% of U.S. adults said in November that they know someone who has been hospitalized or died, up from 39% in August and 15% in April. Around seven-in-ten Black Americans (71%) know someone who has been hospitalized or died from COVID-19, compared with 61% of those who are Hispanic, 49% of those who are White and 48% of those who are Asian.

A large majority of U.S. adults (86%) say there is some kind of lesson or set of lessons for mankind to learn from the coronavirus outbreak, and about a third (35%) say these lessons were sent by God. In open-ended survey responses collected by the Center in the summer, Americans pointed to practical lessons, such as wearing a mask; personal lessons, such as remembering the importance of spending time with family and loved ones; and societal lessons, such as the need for universal health care. Other responses were political in nature, including criticisms of both major parties and concerns about the politicization of the pandemic.

In several countries, the share of people with a favorable view of the U.S. fell in 2020 to its lowest point on record . America’s image abroad declined considerably after Trump took office in 2017, but there was further erosion in 2020 amid widespread criticism of the country’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Just 41% of adults in the UK expressed a favorable opinion of the U.S. this year, the lowest percentage on record. And in France and Germany, the share of adults with a positive view of the U.S. fell to levels last seen in March 2003, at the height of tensions over the Iraq War.

Across 13 countries surveyed this summer, a median of just 15% of adults said the U.S. had done a good job responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. That was much lower than the share who gave positive marks to their own country (median of 74%), the World Health Organization (median of 64%), the EU (median of 57%) and China (median of 37%).

Biden and Trump supporters say they fundamentally disagree with each other not just on political priorities, but on core American values . In an October survey, eight-in-ten registered voters who supported Biden (80%) – and a similar share of those who supported Trump (77%) – said they fundamentally disagree with the other side on “core American values and goals.” Only around one-in-five in each group said their differences are limited to politics and policies. In the same survey, 90% of Biden supporters and 89% of Trump supporters said there would be “lasting harm” to the nation if the other candidate won the election.

Across a range of measures, Republicans are far more negative than Democrats in their assessments of the news media. In a February survey, more than half of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said news organizations don’t care about the people they report on (69%), are not professional (60%), are too critical of America (58%), hurt democracy (56%) and don’t care about how good of a job they do (54%). Democrats and Democratic leaners were far more positive than Republicans on all of these questions. The partisan divide in views of the news media extends to views of specific outlets, too, as a separate Center study found in January .

A small share of highly active Twitter users – most of whom are Democrats – produce the vast majority of tweets from U.S. adults. The most active 10% of users were responsible for 92% of tweets sent between November 2019 and September 2020 by U.S. adults with public-facing accounts. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents accounted for 69% of these highly active Twitter users, while Republicans and GOP leaners accounted for 26%. 

Only around a quarter of U.S. Hispanics (23%) have heard of the term “Latinx,” and just 3% say they use it to describe themselves. The gender-neutral, pan-ethnic term, which is used to describe the nation’s Hispanic population, has gained traction in recent years among some corporations, local governments, universities and news and entertainment outlets. But relatively few Hispanics are aware of the term and only a small fraction use it to describe themselves. Among Hispanics aware of the term, 65% say “Latinx” should not be used to describe the nation’s Hispanic or Latino population, while 33% say it should.

Around half of Americans (49%) say the Bible should have a great deal or some influence on the laws of the U.S. , including 28% who say it should take precedence when it conflicts with the will of the people. White evangelical Christians are especially likely to hold this view. In a February survey, around nine-in-ten White evangelicals (89%) said the Bible should have a great deal or some influence on America’s laws, and around two-thirds (68%) said they favored the Bible over the will of the people when there is a conflict between the two.

The U.S. Constitution does not mention the Bible, God, Jesus or Christianity, and the First Amendment clarifies that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Still, some scholars have argued that the Bible heavily influenced America’s founders.

The Black Lives Matter movement drew widespread public support and online engagement following the police killing of George Floyd in May. In a survey in early June , two-thirds of Americans – including majorities across all major racial and ethnic groups – expressed support for the movement (though support slipped to 55% by September).

Meanwhile, use of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag surged to record levels on Twitter , with an average of just under 3.7 million daily uses between May 26 – the day after Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police – and June 7. On May 28, nearly 8.8 million tweets included the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, making it the busiest single day for the hashtag since Pew Research Center began tracking its use in 2013.

Amid calls to “defund the police,” only a quarter of Americans said in June that they favor a reduction in spending on policing in their area. The largest share of Americans (42%) preferred spending on policing in their area to stay about the same, while 31% said spending on police should be increased. Support for police spending cuts was higher – but still short of a majority – among adults under 30, Black adults and those who identify as Democratic or lean to the Democratic Party.

A growing share of Americans have heard of the group of conspiracy theories known as QAnon, and a substantial portion of Republicans who are aware of it say it is a good thing for the country. The share of U.S. adults who have heard or read at least a little about QAnon rose from 23% in February to 47% in September. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who are aware of QAnon overwhelmingly see it as a very or somewhat bad thing for the country (90% say this), but Republicans and GOP leaners are more divided. Half of Republicans who are aware of QAnon say it is a very or somewhat bad thing for the nation, while 41% say it is a very or somewhat good thing.

In a year in which big tech companies faced growing scrutiny, nine-in-ten Republicans – and around six-in-ten Democrats (59%) – said it’s likely that social media sites intentionally censor political viewpoints . Overall, around three-quarters of U.S. adults (73%) said in June that it’s very or somewhat likely that social media sites censor political viewpoints they find objectionable. In late May, Twitter began labeling tweets by Trump as misleading, prompting the president and some of his supporters to accuse social media platforms of censoring conservative voices.

Read the other posts in our striking findings series:

• 19 striking findings from 2019
• 18 striking findings from 2018
• 17 striking findings from 2017
• 16 striking findings from 2016
• 15 striking findings from 2015

John Gramlich is an associate director at Pew Research Center .

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