5 papers
Gendered Divides in Online Discussions about Reproductive Rights
Ashwin Rao, Sze Yuh Nina Wang, Kristina Lerman
The U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization marked a turning point in the national debate over reproductive rights. While the ideological d…
Polarized Online Discourse on Abortion: Frames and Hostile Expressions among Liberals and Conservatives
Ashwin Rao, Rong-Ching Chang, Qiankun Zhong +2
Abortion has been one of the most divisive issues in the United States. Yet, missing is comprehensive longitudinal evidence on how political divides on abortion are reflected in pu…
In-Group Love, Out-Group Hate: A Framework to Measure Affective Polarization via Contentious Online Discussions
Buddhika Nettasinghe, Ashwin Rao, Bohan Jiang +2
Affective polarization, the emotional divide between ideological groups marked by in-group love and out-group hate, has intensified in the United States, driving contentious issues…
Assessing the Impact of Conspiracy Theories Using Large Language Models
Bohan Jiang, Dawei Li, Zhen Tan +5
Measuring the relative impact of CTs is important for prioritizing responses and allocating resources effectively, especially during crises. However, assessing the actual impact of…
#EpiTwitter: Public Health Messaging During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ashwin Rao, Nazanin Sabri, Siyi Guo +2
Effective communication during health crises is critical, with social media serving as a key platform for public health experts (PHEs) to engage with the public. However, it also a…