Research lines

The rapid development of artificial intelligence has generated changes in the information consumption habits of part of the global population. In light of this, it is important to ask what impact AI tools, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, are having on today’s media ecosystem.

The Ideograma - UPF Chair seeks to contribute to this conversation and, for this reason, is incorporating this line of research, with a focus on its traditional areas of interest: information credibility, disinformation, and political communication.

In this context, the aim is to examine the role of AI tools in the acquisition of political information and how this influences citizens’ perceptions. The approach includes both the field of political communication — particularly electoral communication — and the impact these technological tools may have on democratic systems.

The main objectives are as follows:

1. To analyze public perceptions regarding the incorporation of AI-generated resources in the creation of political messages.
2. To study how people use AI tools in electoral contexts.
3. To examine the persuasive effectiveness that different AI-generated formats and resources may have in comparison with other communication resources.

Researchers:

• Carles Pont Sorribes
• Reinald Besalú Casademont
• Cristian Lozano Recalde

Publications:

Crisis communication has become an important field of research due to the growing relevance of effective information dissemination in contexts of high uncertainty, particularly when human lives are at risk or significant losses for citizens may occur. In the current context, characterized by transnational crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, latent risks associated with climate change, and recurring political conflicts, it is essential to examine how the effectiveness of public administration communication can be improved in such situations.

The aim is to contribute to a more accurate understanding of the current challenges in crisis and emergency communication, as well as to provide key insights for improving institutional responses to crises, from a perspective grounded in responsibility, empathy, and closeness to citizens.

Researchers:

• Carles Pont Sorribes
• Cristian Lozano Recalde

Publications:

This line of research focuses on the study of anti-media narratives and their impact on social trust in journalism. In a context marked by disinformation, polarization, and the emergence of new communication actors, this project explores in depth how narratives that question the credibility of traditional media are constructed, disseminated, and legitimized. Its purpose is to provide a rigorous perspective on the discursive and social mechanisms that shape the relationship between citizens and the media sphere, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the current challenges in the formation of public opinion.

• To analyze anti-media discourse, identifying the frames and strategies that structure these narratives across different communication environments.

• To generate knowledge that enables a better understanding of the dynamics between the media, emerging actors, and public opinion.

Researchers:

• Reinald Besalú
• Carles Pont Sorribes

Publications:

Pending publications

This line of research has focused on analyzing the informational credibility of the media within an increasingly complex and digitalized communication environment. It has examined the factors that influence public trust, from the role of formats and distribution channels to the impact of fact-checking platforms and new opinion leaders on social media. It has also explored how social and demographic characteristics shape the perception and circulation of information. Overall, this line contributes knowledge on how credibility is constructed, questioned, and distributed in today’s media ecosystem.

Researchers:

• Carles Pont Sorribes
• Reinald Besalú Casademont
• Aleix Martí Danés

Check published reports related with this line of research.

Consulteu els informes publicats en el marc d'aquesta línia d'investigació.

And academic papers:

• Pont-Sorribes, C., Martí-Danés, A., & Besalú, R. (2025). How Good are Older Adults at Detecting Fake News? Analysis of News Credibility among Spaniards. Journalism Practice, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2025.2608084
• Martí-Danés, A., Besalú, R., Pont-Sorribes, C., & Gómez-Puertas, L. (2023). Analysis of news credibility in the digital press. Source types have a limited effect, while age, gender, and education are differential factors. Journalism, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849231215190
• Besalú, Reinald, Pont-Sorribes, Carles, & Martí, Aleix. (2021) Perceived Credibility of Tweets by Opinion Leaders During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain. International Journal of Communication, 15.  https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/17743/3613
• Besalú, R.; Pont-Sorribes, C. (2021). Credibility of Digital Political News in Spain: Comparison between Traditional Media and Social Media. Social Sciences, 10(5), 170. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10050170
• Pont-Sorribes, C.; Besalú, R.; Codina, L. (2020). WhatsApp como canal de información política en España: credibilidad, perfil de usuarios y compartición de contenidos. Profesional de la información, 29 (6). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.nov.19