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How behavioural sciences can promote truth, autonomy and democratic discourse online
Philipp Lorenz-Spreen1, Stephan Lewandowsky2,3, Cass R Sunstein4
1Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany. lorenz-spreen@mpib-berlin.mpg.de.
Online platforms prioritize attention over cognition, enabling manipulation. Behavioral interventions using content quality cues can foster informed choices and empower users online.
Area of Science:
- Digital Media Studies
- Behavioral Science
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Current online ecosystems are designed for attention capture, not deliberate cognition or autonomous choice.
- Information overload, personalization, and distorted social cues facilitate manipulation and misinformation.
- The web's potential for positive impact is undermined by its current design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how transparency and autonomy can be promoted in online environments.
- To identify behavioral research-informed strategies for effective web governance.
- To empower individuals to make more informed choices online.
Main Methods:
- Identification of technologically available cues indicating epistemic quality of online content.
- Analysis of factors influencing algorithmic decisions.
- Mapping of behavioral interventions (nudging and boosting) using identified cues.
Main Results:
- Untapped cues exist to signal content quality, algorithmic rationale, and online debate consensus.
- Nudging and boosting interventions can leverage these cues.
- Redesigning online environments is feasible for promoting informed and autonomous choices.
Conclusions:
- Effective web governance requires integrating behavioral research insights.
- Harnessing specific online cues can mitigate manipulation and misinformation.
- Interventions can foster a healthier online ecosystem prioritizing user autonomy and informed decision-making.
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