How social media rhetoric can lead to real-life violence: For Journalists

<!doctype html> <html lang="en"> <head>  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-NRC6SM');</script>  <base href="https://news.northwestern.edu/"> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=Edge" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <title>How social media rhetoric can lead to real-life violence: For Journalists - Northwestern University</title> <meta name="description" content="In an era where demonstrations involving force are growing in number and viewed as a likely source of increased collective violence, the scientific understanding of the correlation between protests and the social media communications of leaders remains debated."> <link rel="canonical" href="https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2024/11/new-northwestern-research-links-social-media-and-growing-levels-of-political-violence/"> <meta name="pageID" content="15244"> <meta property="og:title" content="How social media rhetoric can lead to real-life violence" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2024/11/new-northwestern-research-links-social-media-and-growing-levels-of-political-violence/" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://news.northwestern.edu/assets/Stories/2024/11/violence1940__FocusFillWzEyMDAsNjMwLCJ5Iiw4N10.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@NorthwesternU"> <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@NorthwesternU"> <meta name="twitter:title" content="How social media rhetoric can lead to real-life violence"> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Kellogg faculty analyze data from the march on the U.S. Capitol to identify how violent protests relate to a leader’s social media communications"> <meta property="twitter:image" content="https://news.northwestern.edu/assets/Stories/2024/11/violence1940__FocusFillWzk3MCw2NTAsZmFsc2UsMF0.jpg" /> <meta property="twitter:image:alt" content="A man yells during the "Stop The Steal" rally held by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021" /> <meta property="article:primarytopic" content="Politics"/> <meta property="article:topics" content="Business,Business/Economics,Faculty/Staff,Kellogg School of Management,Law/Policy/Politics,Research"/> <meta property="article:date" content="November 6, 2024"/> <meta property="article:category" content="Business, Media & Politics"/> <meta property="article:writer" content="Shanice Harris"/> <link href="//common.northwestern.edu/favicon.ico" rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon"/> <link href="//common.northwestern.edu/v8/icons/favicon-16.png" rel="icon" sizes="16x16" type="image/png"/> <link href="//common.northwestern.edu/v8/icons/favicon-32.png" rel="icon" sizes="32x32" type="image/png"/> <link href="//common.northwestern.edu/v8/icons/favicon-180.png" rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180"/> <meta name="application-name" content="Northwestern Now"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#4e2a84"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="//common.northwestern.edu/v8/icons/mstile-144x144.png"/> <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff"/> <meta name="msapplication-config" content="//common.northwestern.edu/v8/icons/ieconfig.xml"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://common.northwestern.edu/dept/3.0/styles.css" media="screen" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://common.northwestern.edu/dept/3.0/print.css" media="print" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_resources/themes/journalists/css/for-journalists.css?m=1727979252" /> </head> <body class="standard-page no-left-nav for-journalists-page asset-page">  <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NRC6SM" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <header id="parent"> <a href="#main-content" class="screen-reader-shortcut">Skip to main content</a> <div id="top-bar"> <div class="contain-1120"> <div id="left"> <div id="northwestern"> <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" title="Northwestern University Home"><span class="hide-label">Northwestern University</span></a> </div> <div id="parent-unit"> <a href="/">Northwestern Now</a> </div> </div> <nav id="global-links" aria-label="global links" class="phone"> Media Relations hotline: <a id="media-hotline" href="tel:+18474915001">(847) 491-5001</a> </nav> </div> </div> <nav id="quick-links" aria-label="quick links"> <ul> <li><a id="news-release-signup-link" href="/for-journalists/news-release-signup/">News Release Signup</a></li> </ul> </nav> <div id="bottom-bar" class="contain-1120"> <div id="site-name"> <a href="/for-journalists">For Journalists</a> </div> </div> <div id="mobile-links"> <a href="#mobile-nav" class="mobile-link mobile-nav-link"><span class="hide-label">Menu</span></a> <nav id="mobile-nav" aria-label="mobile menu"> <ul> <li><a href="/for-journalists/faculty-experts/" class="">Experts</a></li> <li> <a aria-haspopup="true" href="#" role="button" class="">News Releases<span class="arrow"></span></a> <ul aria-expanded="false" aria-hidden="true"> <li class="home"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/">News Releases Overview</a></li> <li> <a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/latest-releases/" class="">Latest Releases</a> </li> <li> <a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/university-media-kit/" class="">Northwestern University Media Kit</a> </li> <li> <a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/news-release-signup/" class="">News Release Signup</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a aria-haspopup="true" href="#" role="button" class="">Broadcasting<span class="arrow"></span></a> <ul aria-expanded="false" aria-hidden="true"> <li class="home"><a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/">Broadcasting Overview</a></li> <li> <a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/radio-interviews/" class="">Radio Studio</a> </li> <li> <a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/broadcast-television-studio/" class="">Television Studio</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/for-journalists/filming-photography/" class="">Filming & Photography</a></li> <li><a href="/for-journalists/on-site-reporting/" class="">On-site Reporting</a></li> <li><a href="/for-journalists/contact-us/" class="">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> <div id="mobile-nav-bottom"> <ul id="mobile-nav-bottom-left"> <li><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/global-marketing-communications/">Global Marketing and Communications</a></li> </ul> <ul id="mobile-nav-bottom-right"> <li><a href="/for-journalists/news-release-signup/">News Release Signup</a></li> </ul> </div> </nav> <a href="#" id="journalists-mobile-search-button"> <span class="hide-label">Click to toggle search menu</span></a> </div> </header> <nav id="top-nav" aria-label="main menu"> <ul> <li id="menu1" class="link "><a href="/for-journalists/faculty-experts/">Experts</a></li> <li id="menu2" class="link "> <a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/">News Releases<span class="dropdown-arrow"></span></a> <ul class="dropdown-basic" aria-labelledby="menu2"> <li> <ul> <li class="home"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/">News Releases Overview</a></li> <li class="link"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/latest-releases/">Latest Releases</a></li> <li class="link"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/university-media-kit/">Northwestern University Media Kit</a></li> <li class="link"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/news-release-signup/">News Release Signup</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="menu3" class="link "> <a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/">Broadcasting<span class="dropdown-arrow"></span></a> <ul class="dropdown-basic" aria-labelledby="menu3"> <li> <ul> <li class="home"><a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/">Broadcasting Overview</a></li> <li class="link"><a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/radio-interviews/">Radio Studio</a></li> <li class="link"><a href="/for-journalists/broadcasting/broadcast-television-studio/">Television Studio</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="menu4" class="link "><a href="/for-journalists/filming-photography/">Filming & Photography</a></li> <li id="menu5" class="link "><a href="/for-journalists/on-site-reporting/">On-site Reporting</a></li> <li id="menu6" class="link "><a href="/for-journalists/contact-us/">Contact Us</a></li> <li id="journalists-search-button" class=""><a href="/for-journalists"> <span class="hide-label">Click to toggle search menu</span></a></li> </ul> </nav> <div id="journalists-search-dropdown"> <div class="contain-1120"> <form id="home-search-form" action="/for-journalists/faculty-experts/search" data-action="/for-journalists/news-releases/latest-releases/" method="get"> <div class="form-wrap"> <div class="search-column"> <label for="multi-search">Search</label> <select id="multi-search" name="multi-search"> <option value="fe">Faculty Experts</option> <option value="nr">News Releases</option> <option value="fj">For Journalists Website</option> </select> </div> <div class="for-column"> <span>for</span> <label for="searchbox"></label><input id="searchbox" name="search" type="search" placeholder="Ex: Nanotechnology" /> <button type="submit"><span class="hide-label">Search</span></button> </div> </div> </form> </div> </div> <main id="main-content"> <div id="standard-wrap"> <div class="content" tabindex="-1"> <div> <ul id="breadcrumbs"> <li class="first"><a href="/for-journalists/">For Journalists</a></li> <li class="mid"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/">News Releases</a></li> <li class="mid"><a href="/for-journalists/news-releases/latest-releases">Latest Releases</a></li> <li class="last">News Release</li> </ul> <h1>How social media rhetoric can lead to real-life violence</h1> <p class="subhead">Kellogg faculty analyze data from the march on the U.S. Capitol to identify how violent protests relate to a leader’s social media communications</p> </div> <div id="news-story-wrap" class="contain-970"> <div id="news-story"> <div> <ul id="asset-stats"> <li>Link to: <a class="published-story-link" href="/stories/2024/11/new-northwestern-research-links-social-media-and-growing-levels-of-political-violence/">Northwestern Now Story</a></li> </ul> <div id="sidebar"> <div class="box"> <h2>Media Information</h2> <ul class="asset-stats"> <li>Embargo date: November 6, 2024 6:05 PM CT</li> <li>Release Date: November 5, 2024</li> </ul> <h3>Media Contacts</h3> <p><strong>Shanice Harris</strong></p> <ul class="icons"> <li class="phone"><a href="tel:+18474675498">(847) 467-5498</a></li> <li class="email"><a href="mailto:shanice.harris@northwestern.edu">Email Shanice</a></li> </ul> <p>Journal: <em>Journal of the Royal Society Interface</em></p> </div> </div> <p>EVANSTON, Ill. --- In an era where demonstrations involving force are growing in number and viewed as a likely source of increased collective violence, the scientific understanding of the correlation between protests and the social media communications of leaders remains debated.</p> <p>A new Northwestern study has revealed new patterns of behavior that link an authority figure’s online behavior during a protest to the shift from peaceful protesting to violence.</p> <p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2024.0314">study</a> was published today (Nov. 6) in the Journal of Royal Society Interface. Research was conducted by two faculty members from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management: <a href="https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/uzzi_brian/">Brian Uzzi</a>, Richard L. Thomas Professor of Leadership and co-director of the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO) and the Ryan Institute on Complexity at Kellogg (RIC); and <a href="https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/king_brayden.aspx">Brayden G. King</a>, Max McGraw Chair of Management and the Environment and Professor of Management and Organizations.</p> <p>“Our research found that then-President Donald Trump’s tweets on Jan. 6 explained changes in the magnitude of violence, armed conflict and chemical weapon deployment over the course of the day,” Uzzi said. “The timing and sentiment of Trump’s tweets predicted surges in both the ferocity and length of rioters' lethal force and their use of weapons. Trump’s tweets also predicted the number and sentiment of tweeted communications among rioters and online observers during the insurrection.”</p> <p>The researchers used data on thousands of live videos, Trump’s tweets and rally speech, other rally speeches and #StopTheSteal tweets. Granger regression, a statistical method used to test whether one time-series of data predicts another times-series of data, was employed to analyze the links between the tweets, speeches and the severity and duration of outbreaks of violence and weapons used.</p> <p>“Our findings show that an authority figure’s online activity and emotional rhetoric are associated with a peaceful protest turning violent,” King said. “This study is one of the first to show a direct link between an elected leader’s social media activity and the violent behavior of their followers.”</p> <p>The study is titled “Quantifying Social Media Predictors of Violence During the January 6 US Capitol Insurrection Using Granger Causality.” In addition to Uzzi and King, research specialist Qinghua Lee also contributed to the study.</p> <p><strong>To set up an interview with Professors Uzzi and/or King, reach out to Shanice Harris at </strong><a href="mailto:shanice.harris@northwestern.edu"><strong>shanice.harris@northwestern.edu</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="bottom-content"> </div> </div> </div> </main> <br style="clear: both"> <footer> <div class="contain-1120"> <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu"> <div class="footer-logo"><span class="hide-text">Northwestern University</span></div> </a> <div class="footer-wrap"> <div class="footer-content contact"> <h2>Media Relations</h2> <div class="address"> <div class="icon"> <span>Address</span> </div> <div class="text"> <p>1603 Orrington Avenue<br> 2nd Floor<br> Evanston, IL 60201</p> </div> </div> <div class="phone"> <div class="icon"> <span>Phone number</span> </div> <div class="text"> <p><a href="tel:+18474915001">(847) 491-5001</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="email"> <div class="icon"> <span>Email address</span> </div> <div class="text"> <p><a href="mailto:media@northwestern.edu">media@northwestern.edu</a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="footer-content connect"> <div id="cta"> <h3>Subscribe</h3> <p>Get the latest news delivered to your inbox.</p> <p class="button"><a href="/subscribe">Sign Up Now</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="footer-content resources"> <h2>Northwestern Resources</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/fm/campus/building-access/">Building Access</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/emergency/">Campus Emergency Information</a></li> <li><a href="https://hr.northwestern.edu/careers/">Careers</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/contact.html">Contact Northwestern University</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/privacy/">Privacy Statement</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/accessibility/about/report-accessibility-issue.html">Report an Accessibility Issue</a></li> <li><a href="https://policies.northwestern.edu/">University Policies</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer-bottom"> <div class="contain-1120"> <span class="copyright">© 2025 Northwestern University</span> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NorthwesternU"> <span class="social facebook">Facebook</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.twitter.com/northwesternu"> <span class="social twitter">Twitter</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/northwesternu"> <span class="social instagram">Instagram</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NorthwesternU"> <span class="social youtube">YouTube</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@northwestern.u"> <span class="social tiktok">TikTok</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/school/northwestern-university/"> <span class="social linkedin">LinkedIn</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://news.northwestern.edu/feeds/allStories"> <span class="social rss">RSS</span> </a> </li> </ul> <span class="right"><a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/disclaimer.html">Disclaimer</a></span> </div> </div> </footer>  <script type="application/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.6.0/jquery.min.js"></script> <script type="application/javascript" src="https://common.northwestern.edu/dept/3.0/js/scripts.js"></script> <script type="application/javascript" src="/_resources/themes/journalists/js/journalists.min.js?m=1695326792"></script> <script type="application/javascript" src="https://common.northwestern.edu/dept/3.0/js/accordion-tabs.js"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

How social media rhetoric can lead to real-life violence: For Journalists - Northwestern University