Project description
Understanding group dynamics in online communities
Given that the online environment is characterised by increasing polarisation and misinformation, gaining a clear view of how group interactions affect personal beliefs is more important than ever. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SocialTHOI project aims to investigate the effects of higher-order interactions in order to reflect the complexity of social media interactions at the group level. Using the methods from multivariate information theory, together with higher-order representation, the project examines how group dynamics and trust within groups determine their political orientation and social behaviour. On this basis, the project proposes a mechanistic model to understand social processes such as radicalisation and the spread of fake news.
Objective
This project investigates how group interactions, also known as higher-order interactions (HOIs), shape individual traits/opinions, with
a particular focus on online social media environments. While traditional network science has largely focused on pairwise interactions,
evidence from sociology, experimental psychology and complex systems theory suggests that group-level dynamics play a critical
and qualitatively different role in shaping opinions, beliefs, and behaviors. Understanding these dynamics is essential for explaining
phenomena such as polarization, radicalization, and fake-news diffusion, as well as for designing interventions to foster civic
engagement and social cohesion.
To capture the complexity of group interactions, the project will adopt higher-order network (HON) representations and develop
novel methods to infer genuine HOIs from social media data using tools from multivariate information theory. These methods will
enable the construction of realistic HONs that reflect actual group dynamics, overcoming limitations of current models that rely on
simplified assumptions.
The project will then analyze how group-level properties, such as size, internal communication patterns, and trust, affect individual
attributes, including political leaning or stance on controversial topics. Building on these findings, a mechanistic model grounded in sociological theory will be developed and validated against empirical data.
To ensure causal validity, the project will also include online social experiments with a control group, designed to isolate and test the mechanisms assumed in the model.
By integrating theoretical modeling, empirical data analysis, and experimental validation, the project will contribute to a deeper
understanding of online social dynamics and inform practical strategies to mitigate polarization and fragmentation in digital societies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
08002 Barcelona
Spain
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.