Sheila Murphy is a professor of communication at USC Annenberg. Trained in social psychology at the University of Michigan, Murphy specializes in identifying the individual, interpersonal, community, and ethnic and cultural factors that shape people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Understanding cultural diversity and tailoring messages to diverse audiences has been a major theme of her research both domestically and internationally (including India, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, El Salvador, Panama, Thailand, and Indonesia).

Murphy is also an expert on the use of stories or narratives — in contrast to more traditional interventions — to change individual and normative beliefs and behavior on topics ranging from human trafficking, condom use, stereotyping, cancer screening, water conservation, and acceptance of marginalized groups such as Muslims, undocumented immigrants, and transgender individuals.

Murphy has worked with dozens of popular television programs (including Gray’s Anatomy, ER, Desperate Housewives, and American Crime) to assess the impact of popular programs on viewers’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. 

Awards and honors

American Public Health Association’s Public Health Education Award
Top Translational Research Award in Health Communication
National Institutes of Health Common Fund Award
Everett M. Rogers Award, American Public Health Association