Josh Compton
Professor
Appointments
Professor of Speech
Chair, Speech at Dartmouth Steering Committee
Area of Expertise
inoculation theory/resistance to influence,
persuasion,
image repair,
public speaking,
speechwriting
Biography
Josh Compton, Professor of Speech at Dartmouth College, has published more than 85 peer-reviewed studies, many exploring inoculation theory's adaptability in unexpected places. His work has examined topics as varied as nicotine vaping and conspiracy messaging, Stephen King adaptations, loyalty among struggling hockey teams, and communication about stochastic terrorism. Alongside more traditional studies in health, politics, and education, this breadth highlights inoculation's wide reach and ongoing relevance. His research has sparked dialogue with audiences from NATO officials to medievalists, and he continues to welcome collaboration, treating inoculation as an open and evolving conversation across fields.
Education
Ph.D. University of Oklahoma
Taught Courses
Publications
Compton, J. (2025). Inoculation theory. Review of Communication, 25(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/15358593.2024.2370373
Appel, R. E., Roozenbeek, J., Rayburn-Reeves, R., Basol, M., Corbin, J., Compton, J., & van der Linden, S. (2025). Psychological inoculation improves resilience to and reduces willingness to share vaccine misinformation. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 29830. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09462-5
Capewell, G., Maertens, R., Remshard, M., van der Linden, S., Compton, J., Lewandowsky, S., & Roozenbeek, J. (2024). Misinformation interventions decay rapidly without an immediate posttest. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13049
Jones, D. N., Beekun, R., Schermer, J. A., MacDonald, K. B., & Compton, J. (2024). Inoculating against moral disengagement creates ethical adherence for narcissism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672241276562
Clayton, R. B., Compton, J., Reynolds-Tylus, T., Neumann, D., & Park, J. (2023). Revisiting the effects of an inoculation treatment on psychological reactance: A conceptual replication and extension with self-report and psychophysiological measures. Human Communication Research, 49(1), 104-111. https://doi.org/10.1093/hcr/hqac026
Mason, A. M., Compton, J., & Spencer, E. A. (2023). Understanding individual differences in the dimensions of 'vestedness' within Midwestern populations toward the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during early-stage pandemic onset. The Midwest Quarterly, 64(3), 242-261. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/understanding-individual-differences-dimensions/docview/2810209950/se-2
Mason, A. M., Compton, J., Tice, E., Peterson, B., Lewis, I., Glenn, T., & Combs, T. (2023). Analyzing the prophylactic and therapeutic role of inoculation to facilitate resistance to conspiracy theory beliefs. Communication Reports. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2023.2256803
Mason, A. M., Spencer, E. A., Westhoff, M. C., Livingston, K. M., & Compton, J. (2023). Surveilling the web, mobile, and language accessibility of Communication's digital presence within institutions of higher education globally. Journal of Communication Pedagogy, 7, 130-147. https://doi.org/10.31446/JCP.2023.1.09
Compton, J. (2022). Inoculation theory as rhetorical strategy in The Evidence at Large (1805). Western Journal of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2022.2153616
Compton, J., & Compton, J. (2022). Playoff losses, mayoral politics, image repair,and inoculation: Open letter sport communication. Communication & Sport. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795211067471
Compton, J., Ivanov, B., & Hester, E. (2022). Inoculation theory and affect. International Journal of Communication 16, 3470-3483. doi:1932-8036/2022FEA0002
Compton, J., & Kaylor, B. (2022). The Devil and Vaccination and inoculation theory: Health communication, parody, and anti-vaccination rhetorical strategy. Journal of Communication and Religion, 45(3), 37-51.
Compton, J., Ivanov, B., & Hester, E. (2022). New directions for inoculation theory and affect research. STAM Journal 52(1), 1-27. Available: https://speechandtheatremo.org/journal-archive/
Compton, J., Wigley, S., & Samoilenko, S. (2021). Inoculation theory and public relations. Public Relations Review47(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102116
Compton, J. (2021). Threat and/in inoculation theory. International Journal of Communication 15, 1-13. doi:1932–8036/2021FEA0002
Compton, J., van der Linden, S., Cook, J., & Basol, M. (2021). Inoculation theory in the post-truth era: Extant findings and new frontiers for contested science, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. Social and Personality Psychology Compass (15), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12602
Clear, S. E., Dimmock, J. A., Compton, J., & Jackson, B. (2021). How do inoculation messages work? A two-study mixed-method investigation into inoculation mechanisms. Asian Journal of Communication 31(2), 83-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2021.1888306
Compton, J. (2020). Prophylactic versus therapeutic inoculation treatments for resistance to influence. Communication Theory 30(3), 330-343. https://doi.org/10.1093/ct/qtz004
van der Linden, S., Roozenbeek, J., & Compton, J. (2020). Inoculating against fake news about COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566790
Compton, J., & Mason, A. (2020). Narrative and the inoculation theory of resistance to influence. In S. S. Dunn & G. Nisbett (Eds.), Innovations and implications of persuasive narrative (pp. 23-42). Peter Lang Publishing.
Compton, J. (2020). Inoculation against/as character assassination. In S.A. Samoilenko, M. Icks, J. Keohane, & E. Shiraev. (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of character assassination (pp. 25-35). London, New York, NY: Routledge.
Contact
Selected Presentations
-
Compton, J., & Lam, D. [Dartmouth undergraduate student] (2021, September). Mixing metaphors: The analogics of inoculation theory and character assassination [paper presentation]. Character Assassination and Reputation Politics, Arlington, VA, United States.
-
Compton, J., Wigley, S., & Samoilenko, S. A. (2021, March). Inoculation theory and public relations [paper presentation]. Eastern Communication Association Conference, Virtual.
-
Compton, J., van der Linden, S., Cook, J., & Basol, M. (2019, May). Inoculation theory and science communication: Extant findings and new directions [paper presentation]. International Communication Association, Washington DC, United States.