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.

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.