Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation

This study investigates the efficacy of collective sensing as a mechanism for unveiling disinformation in group interaction. Small group interactions were simulated to experiment on the effects of a group reaction to incentivized deceptive behavior when initiated by social influencers. We use multi...

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Main Authors: Shuyuan Mary Ho, Jeffrey Nickerson, Qian Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: DIGSUM 2023-02-01
Series:Journal of Digital Social Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://publicera.kb.se/jdsr/article/view/24211
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author Shuyuan Mary Ho
Jeffrey Nickerson
Qian Zhang
author_facet Shuyuan Mary Ho
Jeffrey Nickerson
Qian Zhang
author_sort Shuyuan Mary Ho
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the efficacy of collective sensing as a mechanism for unveiling disinformation in group interaction. Small group interactions were simulated to experiment on the effects of a group reaction to incentivized deceptive behavior when initiated by social influencers. We use multilevel modeling to examine the individual communication data nested within group interactions. The study advances the use of computational efficacy to support the supposition of collective sensing—by analyzing individual social actors’ communicative language and interaction within group contexts. Language-action cues as stigmergic signals were systemically extracted, compared and analyzed within groups as well as between groups. The results demonstrate that patterns of group communication become more concentrated and expressive after a social influencer becomes deceptive, even when the act of deception itself is not obvious to any individual. That is, individuals in the group characterize deceptive situations differently, but communication patterns depict the group’s ability to collectively sense deception from circulating disinformation. The study confirms our postulation of using collective sensing to detect deceptive influences in a group.
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spelling doaj-art-5a8cb722aeda4c008b6c308e452e3cec2025-08-20T02:18:42ZengDIGSUMJournal of Digital Social Research2003-19982023-02-014410.33621/jdsr.v4i4.119Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of DisinformationShuyuan Mary Ho0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4790-1821Jeffrey Nickerson1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8590-3898Qian Zhang2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4396-9375Florida State University, USAStevens Institute of Technology, USAFlorida State University, USA This study investigates the efficacy of collective sensing as a mechanism for unveiling disinformation in group interaction. Small group interactions were simulated to experiment on the effects of a group reaction to incentivized deceptive behavior when initiated by social influencers. We use multilevel modeling to examine the individual communication data nested within group interactions. The study advances the use of computational efficacy to support the supposition of collective sensing—by analyzing individual social actors’ communicative language and interaction within group contexts. Language-action cues as stigmergic signals were systemically extracted, compared and analyzed within groups as well as between groups. The results demonstrate that patterns of group communication become more concentrated and expressive after a social influencer becomes deceptive, even when the act of deception itself is not obvious to any individual. That is, individuals in the group characterize deceptive situations differently, but communication patterns depict the group’s ability to collectively sense deception from circulating disinformation. The study confirms our postulation of using collective sensing to detect deceptive influences in a group. https://publicera.kb.se/jdsr/article/view/24211human computer interactioncomputer-mediated deceptioncollective sensingcollective intelligencehuman sensor networkslanguage-action cues
spellingShingle Shuyuan Mary Ho
Jeffrey Nickerson
Qian Zhang
Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation
Journal of Digital Social Research
human computer interaction
computer-mediated deception
collective sensing
collective intelligence
human sensor networks
language-action cues
title Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation
title_full Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation
title_fullStr Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation
title_full_unstemmed Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation
title_short Hive Mind Online: Collective Sensing in Times of Disinformation
title_sort hive mind online collective sensing in times of disinformation
topic human computer interaction
computer-mediated deception
collective sensing
collective intelligence
human sensor networks
language-action cues
url https://publicera.kb.se/jdsr/article/view/24211
work_keys_str_mv AT shuyuanmaryho hivemindonlinecollectivesensingintimesofdisinformation
AT jeffreynickerson hivemindonlinecollectivesensingintimesofdisinformation
AT qianzhang hivemindonlinecollectivesensingintimesofdisinformation