The University of Pennsylvania was awarded a $400,000 Project Grant from the Office of Naval Research under the Basic and Applied Scientific Research (CFDA 12.300) program to conduct research on "The Language of Parasocial Influence and the Emergence of Extremism." The 5-year project, beginning on October 1, 2024, will involve behavioral experiments led by researchers at Cornell University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to investigate the causal effects of parasocial influence and its potential links to the emergence of extremism. The sub-awards to Cornell University ($134,678) and MIT ($123,456) will support the behavioral research components, including developing experimental stimuli, designing studies, and analyzing data. This research aims to enhance understanding of how parasocial relationships and their dynamics may contribute to the spread of extremist ideologies, with potential implications for countering radicalization.
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