UC San Diego
Cognitive Media Lab
We investigate information diffusion and interaction on social media while accounting for the unique characteristics of individual users instead of taking one-size-fits-all approaches.
Who We Are
The CML is an interdisciplinary research group within the fields of cognitive science, human-computer interaction, and public health that investigates how media communications influence our perceptions of truth.
Our Focus
Our current research focuses on investigating the communication dynamics of misinformation spread on social media and testing design interventions for spread prevention.
Our Methodologies
The CML uses a mixture of data science, experimental design, and qualitative methodologies for examining how messages spread throughout the media ecosystem.
Levels of Inquiry
The CML believes that information transfer across media platforms requires an interdisciplinary perspective in order to account for the complexity and nuance of human communication dynamics. Specifically, media engagement is assessed across 3 levels: individual users, information sources, and information networks. This involves understanding the underlying cognitive and psychological mechanisms of individuals while accounting for how the features of a platform itself and the social dynamics from networks influence message interpretation and engagement.
What we've done
We collect and analyze social media data across a range of platforms (ex – Twitter, Reddit, Facebook) using qualitative content coding to identify narratives within misinformation discourse and then use techniques such as social network analysis (SNA) and topic modeling to trace how they’re shared between users. We also use surveys and experimental design to assess cognitive mechanisms associated with misinformation susceptibility, and test the effectiveness of design interventions such as the use of tags on social media posts for mitigating misinformation spreading behaviors.
