Project description
How critical social topics cause polarisation
Our social identity is closely connected with the information we receive, aiding us in better understanding how critical social topics become highly charged and divisive. A radical scientific proposal suggests that social polarisation occurs due to the compressibility of information, where attitudes provide redundant information about belonging to a particular group. With this in mind, the ERC-funded ID-COMPRESSION project proposes a theory of social normativity, suggesting that a polarised social information system is socially understandable. Such a system facilitates group processes, making positions comprehensible and socially meaningful. It also reveals how social identity becomes embedded in social information via social interaction, how the structured social information system provides conversion pathways, and how compressible social information systems are susceptible to pernicious polarisation.
Objective
The breakthrough to be pursued in ID-COMPRESSION is that social polarization is information compressibility, where attitudes provide redundant information about group membership. ID-COMPRESSION proposes that a polarized social information system is a socially comprehensible one, where it is easy to categorize people into groups and identify social outliers. Since comprehensibility depends on regularities, this will consequently be a compressible social information system. If successful, this radical theory of social normativity will explain how:
(1) social identity becomes embedded in social information via social interaction;
(2) information thereby becomes comprehensible in social identity terms;
(3) comprehensibility of identity-laden social information is a form of information compressibility;
(4) compressibility facilitates group processes, making positions comprehensible and socially meaningful;
(5) the structure of the social information system provides conversion pathways, where (a) the probability of someone taking a new position depends on the ones they already hold, (b) taking a new position shifts the holder’s identity and makes a new range of positions accessible, (c) chains of transition probabilities form pathways through the identity-information space, and (d) the structured social information system is dynamically constituted by the positions expressed by the people within it.
(6) Compressible social information systems are ripe for pernicious polarization, particularly in situations of intergroup threat, affective polarization, or zero-sum outcomes.
(7) Social media interlocks with psychosocial processes in ways that can accelerate pernicious polarization.
This radical new understanding of social normativity will show how social identity dynamically interfaces with social information, allowing us to understand how important social issues (e.g. climate change; global health crises) become identity-charged and polarized.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
- Limerick
Ireland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.