Modeling the Information Credibility Judgment Process
In today’s digital age, evaluating information credibility has become more complex. This project introduces the concept of heuristics – how likes, shares, and comments influence our perception of information. It explores how these cues interact with individual characteristics to shape credibility judgments and information engagement. The research combines behavioral data analysis and computational methods to understand social heuristics’ effects at both micro and macro levels. This study aims to shed light on how we navigate the modern information landscape and make credibility assessments in an era of abundant digital cues.
Main Research Topics
- Communication technology
- Social media
- News
- Information heuristics
Research Results
The fellowship project examined the effects of sharing misinformation on users’ status in social media, revealing distinct outcomes based on status level. User status was determined by activity and reputation metrics, including the number of comments and likes received. For low-status users, engagement dropped sharply after sharing misinformation, suggesting a potential loss of credibility or reduced visibility in social interactions. In contrast, high-status users experienced minimal declines. These findings highlight the unequal consequences of misinformation-sharing based on social standing within digital communities.
Curriculum Vitae
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, U.S.A.
- Department of Communication
Associate Professor with tenure
- Data Analytics and Computational Social Science Graduate Program
Core Faculty - Computational Social Science Institute
Faculty Associate
Publications and Presentations
- Bae, S. Y. (2023). The Aftermath of Fake News. Newspaper & Broadcasting, Korea Press Foundation.
- Bae, S. Y. (2023). The Rise and Fall of Digital News Platforms. Newspaper & Broadcasting, Korea Press Foundation.
- Bae, S. Y., Kim, T., Ha, Y., & Cha, M. (2021). The Medium and the Backlash: The Disparagement of the #MeToo Movement in Online Public Discourse in South Korea. International Journal of Communication, 15, 768-791. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/14632
- Bae, S. Y. (2017). The Social Mediation of Political Rumors: Examining the Dynamics in Social Media and Belief in Political Rumors. Journalism, 21(10), 1522–1538. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884917722657