Research program: T3D – Transformation of Digital Democratic Discourses
The research program examines how topics and opinions are formed, expressed, and evolve in the digital democratic public sphere. We integrate theoretical and methodological approaches from the social sciences and computer science.
When do opinions diverge, and when do they converge?
Who spreads misinformation, and how can it be identified?
The research program links theories and methods from the social sciences and computer science and offers new perspectives on the dynamics of societal communication. We investigate whether opinions diverge through digital communication and under which conditions society fragments into groups or splits up into two camps. In this context, we also examine the role of misinformation. Furthermore, we shed light on artificial intelligence as a possible driver of negative societal developments, but also as a potential tool for countermeasures, for example for the detection of misinformation.
How do public discourses change through artificial intelligence?
Prof. Dr. Christiane Eilders
Head of Research Program
christiane.eilders@cais-research.de
Prof. Dr. Tim A. Majchrzak
Head of Research Program
tim.majchrzak@cais-research.de
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Research areas
We address questions of social cohesion and the growing fragmentation into (opinion) groups. How do these phenomena become visible, and what effects do media and digital communication, as well as the use of artificial intelligence, have? We also examine which technological conditions can strengthen social cohesion.
We investigate who introduces misinformation into public discourses, how it spreads, and what role information systems, including social media platforms, play in this process. Our work shows how society is influenced by digital technology.
We focus on anti-democratic content in digital public spheres. Our aim is to analyze this content across different channels and platforms. The focus is primarily on the structure and sources of anti-democratic content, such as hate speech or racism. We also examine the influence of this content on audiences and the pressure to conform to prevailing opinions.
Projects
Network for Polarization Research (NETPOL)
Mechanisms for explaining polarization within groups
We extend polarization research with a theoretical model that explains how polarization can also develop within like-minded groups through conformity pressure and the individual need for differentiation. These mechanisms influence how opinions are reinforced within groups, contributing to societal polarization.
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Team
