Strategy Science
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strategyscience.bsky.social
Strategy Science
@strategyscience.bsky.social
170 followers 1.1K following 160 posts
Science of gray zone / hybrid warfare, intelligence, cyber security, war strategy, extremism, social sciences, & law to combat radicalization

#natsec #infosec #cybersecurity #science 🧪 #NatSecSky
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strategyscience.bsky.social
The authors said “suffer” is “language of illness” and while it may provoke empathy “it does also suggest BAME victimhood rather than steadfastness and agency”.
An example of a message that made people less likely to think of racism as a systemic problem was one that said: “This country’s black and minority ethnic communities still suffer poorer outcomes across education, employment, health and in the criminal justice system. In order to achieve genuine racial equality, we must work towards an inclusive Britain in which we all feel valued, enjoy equal opportunities and share a common sense of belonging.” The authors said “suffer” is “language of illness” and while it may provoke empathy “it does also suggest BAME victimhood rather than steadfastness and agency”.
February 18, 2025 at 12:59 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Job discrimination faced by ethnic minorities convinces public about racism (2022)

Study finds the best way to convince the public that racism is a real problem and requires major change: tell them about a study exposing discrimination faced by job applicants.

www.theguardian.com/money/2022/d...
Researchers believe they may have found the best way to convince the public that racism is a real problem and requires major change: tell them about an Oxford University study exposing discrimination faced by job applicants. A groundbreaking project exploring how better to boost public support for action against systemic racism tested which messages best move people towards a more anti-racist position. Reframing Race, a charity, tested dozens of arguments on almost 20,000 people and found highlighting research from 2019 showing ethnic minority applicants received less positive responses to job applications than white people, was the “blockbuster” in terms of making people more likely to agree that all races and ethnic groups are equally as capable as one other. By contrast using well-trodden language about people “suffering” from “inequality” was less likely to convince people of the systemic problem and even sometimes backfired. The need for better arguments was made clear by a survey for the study covering England and Scotland, which revealed widespread racist attitudes with 40% of people believing that “some races or ethnic groups are naturally harder working than others” and one in five think some races are more intelligent than others. The research also showed it remained easier to get audiences to accept racism as a real and pressing problem than to get them to support particular solutions. “If we want to end racism and entrench anti-racism it is critical to build public demand for deep and irreversible progress,” said Sanjiv Lingayah, report author and director of Reframing Race. “[This] shows there is still a way to go. The data shows significant attachment to deep-seated and debunked myths about ‘race’. More positively, the findings show that the public can understand systemic racism and that they can be rallied around far-reaching anti-racist solutions.” The researchers found the message with the most potential was when people in England were told Oxford University researchers had applied for more than 3,000 jobs in the names of fictitious applicants, randomly varying the ethnicity, but keeping the skills, qualifications and work experience the same. White British applicants had to make four applications to get a positive response while ethnic minority applicants had to make seven. “It is an almost watertight piece of evidence about the existence of racism in hiring,” the authors said. “The experiment ‘catches racism red-handed’. Naming Oxford University gives the results further credibility. And, additionally, the way that the fake CV ‘sting’ is outlined gives the message the feel of a compelling story – with plot, characters and a powerful ending.” Other effective messages involved telling people about far worse maternal mortality rates for black women than faced by white women and even using a metaphor to describe racism as a birdcage which traps people all boosted public acceptance of racism as a problem.
February 18, 2025 at 12:57 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
White people more likely to confront authors of racist online posts to set discussion rules (2024)

White people surveyed indicated they'd be more likely to confront those posting racist content to defend norms for political discussion, not change their prejudices.

news.illinois.edu/white-people...
“Overall, we found that reframing the confrontation goal from changing someone’s mind to setting social norms increased participants’ willingness to challenge these types of posts,” Coles said. “Participants also indicated greater willingness to confront someone they were closer to rather than someone who was relationally distant, such as a stranger or acquaintance.” Norm-setting changes the nature of the social media environment, eroding the social power that allows users to disseminate racist ideology, the researchers said. It also was an appealing strategy for two groups of people in the study – those who were the most cynical about the value of discussing political issues such as race and those with the greatest reluctance to challenge offensive content posted by relationally distant users such as strangers and acquaintances, the researchers found. Some research has shown that challenging hate speech and racist stereotypes posted online reduces the odds that offenders will repeat it. However, the hostility and entrenched viewpoints that permeate online communities, as well as widespread cynicism about politics in general and the likelihood of changing others’ beliefs about race through online discourse may discourage users from objecting to racist content, according to the study. "However, if the objective is reframed from trying to change a transgressor’s deep-seated attitudes to a potentially more achievable goal – that of defining the social norms for political discussions – participants’ willingness to confront others about racist content increases,” Coles said. With fiery comments about societal problems such as immigration, antisemitism and police officers’ treatment of minorities commonplace on social media, there is a critical need for interventions that empower people to challenge online hate speech because it is intricately tied with perpetuating structural racism and acts of racial violence, Coles said. “Framing the confrontation goal as norm-setting may spur white social media users to step up rather than stand by,” he said. “This may change the social power dynamics online, instead of trying to convince racist users to behave better out of the goodness of their own hearts.”
February 18, 2025 at 12:48 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Experiment #3

When far-right individuals choose to share misinformation, virtue signal.

Virtue signaling is strongest when the misinformation presented relates to sacred community values (immigration, religion, nationalism).
To understand the brain activity of political extremists viewing misinformation, the researchers conducted a third experiment on 36 participants from Spain who supported the far-right political party, Vox. Here, the researchers repeated the same procedure as in the first and second experiments, but this time they conducted an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to observe the changes in participants’ brains as they were asked to decide if they would reshare the social media post. The experiment revealed that certain parts of the brain, like the bilateral inferior frontal cortex and the precuneus, were more active in these individuals when they contemplated sharing the post. These areas of the brain are involved in making you feel like you belong to a social group, understanding other people’s emotional states, and responding to social cues in ways that are considered socially appropriate. Plainly speaking, when these far-right individuals choose to share misinformation, they are likely doing so because they view it as a way to signal to other like-minded extremists that they belong to the same social and political group. This need to virtue signal is the strongest when the misinformation presented to them is related to values that are considered sacred to their community, which, in the case of the far-right, may involve issues such as immigration, religion, or nationalism.
February 18, 2025 at 12:14 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Experiment #2

Republicans who voted for Trump were undeterred by Twitter fact-checks and were willing to share the misinformation anyway.

Social media fact-checks or flagging of “fake news” may not sufficiently prevent the spread of misinformation, especially if it has an extremist agenda.
For the second experiment, the researchers replicated the social media experiment in the United States, where they found similar results among Trump-supporting Republicans. In fact, Republicans who voted for Trump (and self-identified as Trump supporters) were found to be undeterred by Twitter fact-checks and were willing to share the misinformation anyway. This tells us that social media fact-checks or flagging of “fake news” may not sufficiently prevent the spread of misinformation, especially when it has an extremist agenda attached to it. To understand the brain activity of political extremists viewing misinformation, the researchers conducted a third experiment on 36 participants from Spain who supported the far-right political party, Vox. Here, the researchers repeated the same procedure as in the first and second experiments, but this time they conducted an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to observe the changes in participants’ brains as they were asked to decide if they would reshare the social media posts.
February 18, 2025 at 12:08 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Experiment #1:

Despite fact-checks and accuracy nudges, far-right individuals were far more likely compared to center-right individuals to reshare blatant misinformation - especially if it resonated with their sacred values & if their personal identity closely related to their political ideology.
A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General explored, through a series of three experiments, how conservatives in Spain and the United States respond to misinformation that aligns with their political values. In the first experiment, conservatives from Spain who were either far-right or center-right were shown various social media posts criticizing the liberal government. These posts were designed to either appeal to their conservative sacred values or their non-sacred values. Sacred values are moral imperatives that people are unwilling to compromise while non-sacred values can be weighed against other values and may be subject to negotiation or trade-offs. The experiment showed that despite fact-checks and accuracy nudges (like you would see on popular social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram), far-right individuals were far more likely compared to center-right individuals to reshare blatant misinformation. This was especially true if the post resonated with their sacred values and if their personal identity was closely related to their political ideology.
February 18, 2025 at 12:03 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
How empathic we are is not just our experiences experience but also our genes

- How empathetic we are is partly due to genetics (10%)

- Women are on average more empathetic than men, but not due to genetics

- These variants also associate with higher risk for autism

www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
The new study has three important results. First, it found that how empathetic we are is partly due to genetics. Indeed, a tenth of this variation is due to genetic factors. This confirms previous research examining empathy in identical versus non-identical twins. Second, the new study confirmed that women are on average more empathetic than men. However, this difference is not due to our DNA as there were no differences in the genes that contribute to empathy in men and women. This implies that the sex difference in empathy is the result of other non-genetic biological factors, such as prenatal hormone influences, or non-biological factors such as socialisation, both of which also differ between the sexes. Finally, the new study found that genetic variants associated with lower empathy are also associated with higher risk for autism.
February 17, 2025 at 11:18 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Airbnb is an extremely unethical company for many reasons.

www.theinvisibletourist.com/why-you-shou...

They also support Trump.
www.newsweek.com/american-businesses-supporting-donating-donald-trump-list-2027957
February 16, 2025 at 7:01 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Why Russia Won’t Catch Up in the Space Race (2014)

The U.S. and Russia were once the Castor and Pollux of space travel, but now - for Russia - not so much.

Russia is grimly trying to claw its way back—and the grimness is a problem.

time.com/2937697/russ...
And so it will probably go with Russia in space. The original space race was no less political than anything Russia is doing today, but both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. were operating from positions of strength, projecting their competing power over a sprawling region of client states and taking the duel to the cosmic high ground. Russia today—with Putin calling the shots on when a booster should be launched and the government issuing petulant threats to quit flying American astronauts to the International Space Station—is acting neither strong nor confident. It is, instead, joining the long list of states that have dreamed of space but sought to power themselves more with rage than rocket fuel. And consider how far they’ve gotten. North Korea? Pathetic. Iran? Please. China? They’re doing great things now, but that only started when they climbed down from their revolutionary zeal and started focusing on the engineering and physics instead of the ideology and slogans. And Russia? Not so much. The collapse of communism, the loss of Kazakhstan—which put the Baikonaur Cosmodrome, Russia’s Cape Canaveral, in an entirely different country—and hard economic times made space an unaffordable luxury. But now Russia is grimly trying to claw its way back—and the grimness is a problem.
February 16, 2025 at 5:58 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Putin and Trump could be on the same side in this troubling new world order (2016)

Dugin: We must create strategic alliances to overthrow the present order, everything that is the face of the Beast, the anti-Christ.

www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
Putin and Trump could be on the same side in this troubling new world order The hacking crisis may be distracting. Us from a disturbing convergence between 2 mighty powers. Mon. 19 December 2016 01.00 EST [Graphi] Graffiti depicting Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump: 'Alexander Dugan was one of the first public figures in Russia to spot that Trump was a potential ally photograph.' Mindaugas Kubis/AP. My point is that the battle of ideas matters even when those in power pour scorn upon it, or claim themselves to be no more than practitioners of “common sense”. Discourse analysis teaches us that ideas are the magmatic force of public life, rumbling beneath the feet of the mighty, shaping their actions and the popular response. As Isaiah Berlin put it, ideas “are indeed the central complex of relations of a man towards himself and to the external world”. In Dugin’s case, the “central complex” is a mess of imperialism, bigotry, reactionary religiosity and a loathing of social diversity. To confuse matters further, he has borrowed from postmodernism the idea that “truth is a matter of belief … there is no such thing as facts”. In the year of “post-truth politics”, this contention resonates all too deeply. Worse, Dugin’s ideas help to explain why the present tensions between the US and Russia may be distracting us from a potential convergence between the two mighty powers – and not the good kind, either. This is Dugin’s world. In it, Trump and Putin, for all their differences, would be on the same side. The core lesson of 2016 is that there is nothing inevitable in the march of progress. But it is equally true that the ultra right has no providential monopoly on success. Vile as they are, Dugin’s ideas constitute a half-mad manual to what is happening today, and may happen tomorrow. It should be read with care by all those who are planning the counterattack.
February 16, 2025 at 5:49 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
FUN FACT: when you try to go to the OMB website to see their data from this USA Gov link (www.usa.gov/agencies/off...), it now redirects you to this instead (www.whitehouse.gov).
February 16, 2025 at 4:02 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
FUN FACT: did you know there used to be a video game that was essentially The Sims, but for explaining Clinton's health plan to the common person?

It was called SimHealth: The National Health Care Simulation.

It was ended because it wasn't terribly fun.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimHealth
[Screenshot of video game] SimHealth: The National Health Care Simulation
February 16, 2025 at 3:21 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Psychology of Terrorism (2004)

In an ongoing effort to better understand the causes, motivations & determinants of terrorist behavior through a comprehensive review of scientific and professional literature, it analyzes key findings on the “psychology of terrorism.”

www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ni...
Psychology of Terrorism Randy Borum Director, Psychology of Terrorism Initiative As part of the ongoing effort to better understand the causes, motivations and determinants of terrorist behavior, based on a comprehensive review of the scientific and professional literature, this report analyzes key findings on the “psychology of terrorism.” • Although early writings on the “psychology of terrorism” were based mostly in psychoanalytic theory (e.g., narcissism, hostility toward parents), most researchers have since moved on to other approaches. • People become terrorists in different ways, in different roles, & for different reasons. It may be helpful to distinguish between reasons for joining, remaining in, & leaving terrorist organizations. • Perceived injustice, need for identity & need for belonging are common vulnerabilities among potential terrorists. • Mental illness is not a critical factor in explaining terrorist behavior. Also, most terrorists are not “psychopaths.” • There is no “terrorist personality”, nor is there any accurate profile – psychologically or otherwise – of the terrorist. • Histories of childhood abuse & trauma & themes of perceived injustice and humiliation often are prominent in terrorist biographies, but don't really help explain terrorism. • Terrorist ideologies tend to provide a set of beliefs that justify & mandate certain behaviors. Those beliefs are regarded as absolute, & the behaviors are seen as serving a meaningful cause. • Not all extremist ideologies promote violence, nor are all extremists violent. One might ask whether the ideology is driven more by promotion of the “cause” or destruction of those who oppose it. • The powerful, naturally-occurring barriers that inhibit human killing can be eroded either through outside social/environmental influences or by changing how one perceives the situation. • Terrorist groups, like all social collectives, have certain internal (e.g., mistrust, competition) & external (e.g. support, inter-group conflict) vulnerabilities to their existence. • Surprisingly little research or analysis has been conducted on terrorist recruitment. Recruitment efforts do appear concentrated in areas where people feel most deprived and dissatisfied. Relationships are critical. Effective recruiters create and exploit a sense of urgency and imminence. • Effective leaders of terrorist organizations must be able to: maintain a collective belief system; establish and maintain organizational routines; control the flow of communication; manipulate incentives (and purposive goals) for followers; deflect conflict to external targets; and keep action going. • Research on the psychology of terrorism largely lacks substance and rigor. Cultural factors are important, but have not been studied. Future research should be operationally-informed; maintain a behavior based focus; and derive interpretations from analyses of incident-related behaviors. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Aims & methodology 6 Psychological approaches to understanding violence 9 *Instinct Theories *Drive Theories (Frustration – Aggression) *Social Learning Theory *Cognitive Theory *Biological Factors *Raw Empirical Approaches First generation psychological research on terrorism 18 *Psychoanalytic Theory *Narcissism *Early Typologies Contemporary psychological research on terrorism 22 *How and why do people enter, stay in, and leave terrorist organizations? *To what extent is psychopathology relevant for understanding or preventing terrorism? *To what extent is individual personality relevant for understanding or preventing terrorism? *To what extent are an individual’s life experiences relevant for understanding or preventing terrorism? *What is the role of ideology in terrorist behavior? *What distinguishes extremists who act violently from those who do not? *What are the vulnerabilities of terrorist groups? *How do terrorist organizations form, function, and fail? Conclusions on the state of research 64 References 64
February 16, 2025 at 3:14 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
February 16, 2025 at 2:17 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Sex & the Psychology of Authoritarian Ideologies

Despite socio-cultural and religious differences, racially and religiously supported totalitarian ideologies are built on similarities in societies, namely, patriarchy and sexual repression.

health21initiative.org/article/sex-...
Sex-negation in children, therefore, inhibits “rebellious forces” because disobedience translates into anxiety (Reich 1947, 25). This, accordingly, extends to other domains of social life. Reich claims that by preventing “sexual curiosity” and “sexual thinking” in a child, a general fear toward political criticality and curiosity develops. Character-analytic investigations show that, especially during the first years of childhood, imposing restrictions on sexual behaviour are consequential because the intertwining of “the socio-economic and the sexual structure as well as in the structural reproduction of society” takes place in this time frame in the patriarchal family (Reich 1947, 24). At the cost of generalization, it can be argued that fascism is the answer to patriarchal longing. Reich clarifies the support for totalitarian systems in sex-negating patriarchies arguing that, instead of one being a clearly articulated policy of the other, their relationship is threefold: Suppression of sex creates a structure with an interest in “actively supporting the authoritarian order;” “The process makes the mass individual passive and unpolitical” (Reich 1947, 27, 26); As Reich already presumed in 1933, repression of “natural sexual satisfaction” results in different kinds of “substitute gratifications” – traits essential in war, such as “natural aggression” and “brutal sadism” (1947, 27). It is, therefore, in the totalitarian system’s interest to protect itself through discourses and narratives spread in media and religion to avoid rebellion and population uprisings. The family is the “factory” of ideology for society, a function continued by religious institutions (Reich 1947, 51), which will be addressed in the following section. Sexual suppression is that of producing an individual who is adjusted to the authoritarian order and who will submit to it in spite of all misery and degradation (Reich 1947, 25). Patriarchies with their intrinsic suppression of sexuality in children and women are a criterion for totalitarian ideologies to gain hold and to thrive. Repression of sexuality creates an unsatisfied human need that can shift into aggression and other radical substitution gratifications. Mysticism that upholds the impurity of sex through the patriarchal family, and later religious institutions, can also equate to an embarrassment associated with rebellion. This is comparable to the one felt when engaging in sexual pleasure despite the societal narrative and discourse condemning it.
February 16, 2025 at 1:47 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Here's a link to the Jack Smith Final Report. 96 mentions of Pence included. It's worth a read.

www.justice.gov/storage/Repo...
February 16, 2025 at 1:12 AM
strategyscience.bsky.social
National security implications, and how the national security relates to the Patriot Act and use of National Security Letters, strategic oil reserves, and crude storage.
National Security Implications [infographic] 1. Military implications 2. Economic implications 3. Border security implications The Patriot Act and the Use of National Security Letters [Infographic] Triangle pictured with 4 layers with the top peak as 1 and subsequent layers numbered accordingly. 1. NSLs Allow the FBI to obtain information such as financial records, phone records, and internet activity without a warrant or judicial oversight. 2. NSL will come with a gag order that prohibits the recipient from disclosing what they have received an NSL. 3. The use of NSLs has increased dramatically since the Patriot Act was enacted. 4. There have been several high-profile cases in which NSLs were used to target individuals who were not suspected of any wrong doing. Strategic Oil Reserves and National Security [Infographic] 1. Energy Security 2. Economic Stability 3. Geopolitical Leverage 4. Supply Disruption Management 5. Energy Transition Challenges 6. Global Oil Price Influence 7. Strategic Locations. National Security and Crude Storage [Infographic] 1. Energy security in a volatile world 2. Geopolitical considerations 3. Costs and storage capacity 4. Strategic stock pile release policies 5. Technological advances and future considerations.
February 15, 2025 at 11:37 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Balancing National Security and Transparency, the role of redacted documents, the balance of Freedom of Information, and protecting American jobs
Balancing National Security and Transparency [Infographic] A. The Ethics of Redaction B. The primary argument in favor of reduction is the preservation of national security. C. On the other hand, critics argue that excessive reduction can hinder transparency and accountability. D. One example that highlights ethical challenges of reduction is the release of government documents related to surveillance programs. E. Tips for ethical reduction include ensuring that reductions are consistent and clearly marked to avoid misleading interpretations. F. The balance between national security and transparency is a delicate one, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. G. In conclusion, the ethics of the reduction revolve around the tension between national security and transparency. The Role of Redacted Documents in National Security 1. Protecting Sensitive Information 2. Preserving Operational Integrity 3. Ensuring Diplomatic Confidentiality 4. Balancing Transparency and Security 5. Case Study 6. Tips for Effective Redaction 7. Redaction in Government Balancing National Security and Freedom of Information [Infographic] 1. The ethical dilemma 2. The need for national security 3. Freedom of information in government transparency 4. Striking a balance 5. Case studies 6. Conclusion Protecting American Jobs and National Security [Infographic] 1. Protecting American jobs 2. National security 3. Impact on consumers 4. Alternative
February 15, 2025 at 11:27 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Striving For Transparency In National Security

A compilation from various blogs that the delicate balance of transparency and protecting national security.

**Link can be a bit buggy on mobile devices, but great summary & graphics.**

fastercapital.com/topics/striv...
Striving for Transparency in National Security [Infographic] 1. The issue of transparency in national security is one that has sparked intense debate and controversy in recent years. 2. While it is understandable that certain aspects of national security need to be kept classified, it is crucial for governments to be transparent about their actions and decisions in order to maintain public trust. 3. One example of the importance of transparency in national security can be seen in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the United States. 4. Tips for achieving transparency in national security include establishing independent oversight mechanisms such as parliamentary committees. Or umbudsman to ensure the government actions are subject to scrutiny. 5. Case studies from various countries can also provide valuable insights into the challenges and benefits striving for transparency in national security. 6. On the other hand, countries like China and Russia have been criticized for their lack transparency in national security. 7. In conclusion, while achieving complete transparency and national security may not be feasible or desirable. Government must make a concerted certain effort to be as transparent as possible without compromising their ability to protect the nation. Balancing Transparency in National Security [Infographic] 1. In the modern era of journalism, the delicate balance between transparency and national security has become an ethical dilemma that journalists often grapple with. 2. Redacted information, also known as blackout, refers to the removal of obscuring of sensitive or classified information from documents or reports. 3. One notable example of redacted information in journalism is the release of the Mueller Report in 2019. 4. Tips for journalists navigating the ethical dilemma of balancing transparency and national security include seeking alternative sources of information, conducting thorough investigations, and challenging redactions through legal means. 5. Case studies have shown the potential consequences of redacted information and journalism. 6. The impact of reducted information goes beyond the immediate limitations on public knowledge. 7. Ultimately, the ethical dilemma of balancing transparency and national security requires careful consideration and critical thinking from journalists. Redacted Content and National Security [Infographic] 1. The Legal Perspective 2. Balancing Act 3. Exemptions and Justifications 4. Judicial Review and Transparency 5. The Snowden Effect 6. Ethical Considerations 7. The Future of Redacted Content The Role of Coterminous Borders in National Security 1. Preventing illegal immigration 2. Stopping the flow of illegal drugs 3. Preventing the spread of diseases 4. Reducing tensions between neighboring countries 5. Enhancing trade and economic growth.
February 15, 2025 at 11:18 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Are you aware that there is a large gender gap in the tech space?

What implications could this have on coders deciding what programs or initiatives are fraud or DEI?

A Look at Gender Demographics in the Developer Community, Part 2 (2023)

dev.to/sachagreif/a...
Using the U.S. as a baseline, while some stats point to 28.7% of software programmers being women, according to Wikipedia, “fewer than 12% of computer science bachelor's degrees were awarded to women at U.S. PhD-granting institutions in 2011.” First, the status quo of the developer community is very male-oriented, not only in terms of demographics but also in terms of vocabulary, branding, and more. Changing that will take some deliberate action in the opposite direction, not just staying neutral. Second, few people are actually tracking these issues in a transparent and reliable manner, and it's hard to improve what you don't track. We shouldn't be happy to merely adopt the language of inclusivity if we're not also keeping ourselves accountable to see if our efforts are effective or not. Third, an effective way to diversify your audience is to make more beginner-friendly content, as that segment of the population is the most diverse one. Fourth, even with the best intentions, it's really hard to break out of your own bubble. We naturally tend to attract an audience who looks, talks, and thinks like us, which is why it's so important to involve people who aren't like us every step of the way to counteract this natural tendency.
February 15, 2025 at 9:28 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
One way scientists can help right now.
February 15, 2025 at 8:26 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Digital Disinformation About COVID-19 and the Third-Person Effect: Examining the Channel Differences and Negative Emotional Outcomes

Links exposure to disinformation in different digital channels, TPEs, & emotional outcomes in context of a public health crisis.

www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...
Abstract Expanding third-person effect (TPE) research to digital disinformation, this article investigates the impact of COVID-19 digital fake news exposure on individuals' perceived susceptibility of influence on themselves, their close others, and their distant others. Findings from a survey of 511 Chinese respondents suggest that, overall, individuals would perceive themselves to be less vulnerable than close others and distant others to the impact of COVID-19 digital disinformation. The highest self-other perceptual discrepancy is found when individuals receive disinformation on mobile social networking apps. Also, individuals who practice more active fact-checking perceive themselves to be less susceptible. The perception of disinformation effects on self as well as the self-other perceptual discrepancy is both positively related to emotional responses (anxiety, fear, and worry) to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study contributes to existing research by linking exposure to disinformation in different digital channels, the TPEs, and emotional outcomes in the context of a public health crisis. It also highlights the importance of educating and enabling fact-checking behaviors on digital media, which could help to reduce negative emotional impact of the disinformation. Results Results in Table 1 showed that the perceptual gaps between one's self and distant others (t = 29.46, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.84) and between one's self and close others (t = 15.95, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.99) were significant, supporting H1. Besides, the perceptual gap between close others and distance others was also significant (p < 0.001), and Cohen's d = 0.75, supporting H2. Table 1. Mean Comparisons of Perceived Effects of Fake News About COVID-19 on Self and Others Self Close others Distant others Mean (SD) 1.85 (0.84) 2.79 (1.04) 3.56 (1.01) Mean difference  Self vs. close others*** t = 15.95, p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.99  Self vs. distant others*** t = 29.46, p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 1.84  Close others vs. distance others*** t = 11.99, p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.75 Note: *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001. SD, standard deviation. As for H3, results in Table 2 showed that fake news exposure on MSNs was positively associated with self-other perceptual discrepancy (β = 0.26, p < 0.001), and the perceptions of disinformation effect on close others (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) and distant others (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). Fake news exposure on social media was positively related to the perceptions of disinformation effects on close others (β = 0.18, p < 0.01). Besides, fake news exposure on SLSSs was positively associated with the perceptions of disinformation effects on self (β = 0.18, p < 0.01), close others (β = 0.10, p < 0.05), and distant others (β = 0.17, p < 0.001). No significant relationship between fake news exposure on online news media and TPE perceptions has been found. Table 2. Hierarchical Regression Analysis Predicting Perceived Influence of Fake News About COVID-19 on Self and Others Regarding H4, as depicted in Table 2, active fact checking behaviors were negatively associated with perceptions of disinformation effects on self (β = −0.19, p < 0.001) and close others (β = −0.11, p < 0.05). Passive fact evaluation behaviors were positively related to perceptions of disinformation effects on self (β = 0.10, p < 0.05). H4 was partially supported. Besides, Table 3 showed that the TPE was negatively associated with the emotions (anxiety: β = −0.13, p < 0.01; fear: β = −0.18, p < 0.001; worry: β = −0.13, p < 0.05), supporting H5. Table 3. Hierarchical Regression Models of Emotions Anxiety Fear Worry Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 4 Model 5 Model 6 Sociodemographics  Age −0.18*** −0.20*** −0.05 −0.05 −0.06 −0.10*  Gender −0.04 −0.08 −0.20*** −0.22*** −0.12** −0.17***  Education 0.20*** 0.20*** 0.17** 0.18** 0.08 0.07  Income 0.01 0.05 0.01 0.03 0.10* 0.14**  Residence 0.07 0.04 0.18*** 0.16*** 0.13** 0.08  Insurance 0.11* 0.13* 0.07 0.11* 0.05 0.07  ΔR2 0.11 0.11 0.10 0.10 0.06 0.06 Perceived exposure to fake news  MSNs −0.25*** −0.15** −0.17** −0.09* −0.27*** −0.17**  Social media 0.19*** 0.23*** 0.17** 0.22*** 0.10* 0.13*  Online news media 0.16** 0.16** 0.14** 0.13* 0.13* 0.14*  SLSSs 0.01 0.05 0.15** 0.20*** 0.14** 0.21***  ΔR2 0.09 0.09 0.14 0.14 0.11 0.11 Fact checking  Active fact checking −0.06 −0.11* −0.01 −0.06 −0.06 −0.12*  Passive fact evaluation 0.07 0.09* 0.12** 0.14** 0.09* 0.10*  ΔR2 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.02 Third-person variables  Self 0.28*** 0.30*** 0.17***  Close others 0.14** 0.17** 0.16**  Distant others 0.01 −0.11* 0.09  Self-other perceptual discrepancy −0.13** −0.18*** −0.13*  ΔR2 0.11 0.01 0.11 0.02 0.10 0.03  R2 0.32 0.23 0.37 0.28 0.28 0.22  Adjusted R2 0.30 0.20 0.35 0.26 0.25 0.20  F 15.41*** 11.03*** 14.36*** 15.01*** 12.56*** 8.29***  N 511 511 511 511 511 511 Note: *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.
February 15, 2025 at 8:12 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Disinformation targeting communities of color is an ongoing problem that became even worse in the context of the 2020 elections taking place during the COVID-19 crisis.
Table 4. Measures for study topics. * The total score represented the number of correct responses to the questions. An incorrect answer or an acknowledgment of uncertainty was coded as a lack of knowledge
February 15, 2025 at 8:00 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Nonwhite participants higher on COVID-19 disinformation beliefs tended to be male, lower in science media literacy, and lower on media literacy for source after science media literacy was statistically controlled.
Table 3. Media literacy and demographic associations with political engagement for white and nonwhite respondents. Stepwise entry of demographics followed by stepwise entry of other independent measures. ~ns after other measures enter the equation; NW=nonwhite; W=white. Statistical significance denoted by *p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001; Gender coded as binary with higher score representing female. Degrees of freedom reported are for the final block of measures entering the equation.
February 15, 2025 at 7:56 PM
strategyscience.bsky.social
Associations between media literacy and demographics were weak.
Finding 3: As shown in Table 2 below, associations between media literacy and demographics were weak. Demographics represent institutional opportunities and barriers, and long-standing discriminatory policies require sustained advocacy to remedy (Wilkerson, 2020; Rothstein, 2017). According to the National Science Foundation (2018), people with more education and income tend to know more about principles of scientific inquiry. Nevertheless, public understanding of science has increased over time regardless of education levels. This suggests that people also learn about science from informal sources, such as the media and one another. Thus, although growing equity gaps may affect the abilities for people of color to resist disinformation and mobilize for political action (Fain, 2020; Modan, 2020; Strada, 2020), they also may be affected by a sustained lack of minority representation in the media (Brooks & Hebert, 2006; Dixon & Linz, 2000; Sui & Paul, 2017). In other words, because few states require and assess media literacy instruction in formal education, an unequal presence of community-based voices promoting critical thinking about media and circulating information could help explain equity gaps in media literacy (Media Literacy Now, 2020). Table 2. Associations of demographics with media and science media literacy for white and nonwhite respondents. NW=nonwhite; W=white. Statistical significance denoted by *p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001; Gender coded as binary with higher score representing female. Stepwise entry of demographics. Degrees of freedom reported are for the final block of measures entering the equation.
February 15, 2025 at 7:54 PM