A Network Theory of Credence
Abstract
It has been widely believed that trust begets trustworthiness and in turn leads to influence that begets more trust. However, inconsistent associations between trust and influence have also been witnessed - for example, emergent opinion leaders gain influence without fostering trust. The worldwide prevalence of mis- and disinformation, the global rise of populism, and the decline of democracy seemly suggest that fueling distrust (lack of trust) and mistrust (mistakenly trust or doubt) can be more e.ective than harnessing trust in social and political systems and competitions. Why would the believed virtuous cycle of trust and influence turn out to be vulnerable to mis- or distrust nurtured by mis- and disinformation? How does mis- or distrust gain strong momentum that influence society at large.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 06, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310384
Entities
People
- Yuru Lin
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Pittsburgh