Reducing Anti-Semitic Misperception and Attitudes Through Trust-Enhanced Fact Checks

Summary

This project aims to evaluate interventions designed to correct misperceptions about the Jewish community and reduce anti-Semitic attitudes. This initiative addresses the significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents by targeting a specific U.S. subpopulation identified through advanced data analytics as likely endorsers of such views. The project leverages a controlled experimental setup to explore whether educational and fact-checking interventions can change both beliefs and attitudes towards Jewish people. By integrating strategies to build credibility and empathy, the research seeks to undermine harmful stereotypes and promote a more inclusive society. The findings aim to provide actionable insights for effectively deploying journalistic and fact-checking resources to combat misinformation and foster democratic coexistence.

Team

Je Hoon Chae profile picture

Je Hoon Chae (PI), Department of Communication

Je Hoon Chae is a graduate student at UCLA, where he is concurrently pursuing a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.S. in Statistics. Substantively, his research focuses on the dissemination of political (mis)information via media to citizens, and its implications for their competences as participants in a democratic society. This area of interest intersects with various fields such as political communication, political psychology, public opinion, and the study of misinformation. Methodologically, he is interested in causal inference using high-dimensional, unstructured data such as text, images, and video. His recent work has been featured in the peer-reviewed journal Political Psychology, and he is a recipient of the Graduate Dean’s Scholar Award at UCLA for the period 2023–2025. Further information about his work is available on his website at jehoonchae.github.io.

Tim Groeling profile picture

Time Groeling, Professor, Department of Communication

I am a professor in the Department of Communication at UCLA. My research and teaching focus on the areas of Political Communication and New Media.