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Cecilie Steen­buch Traberg

Tenure Track Assistant Professor

Subjects
Psychology Misinformation Opinion formation Quantitative methods Artificial intelligence Decision-making

Primary research areas

Social Influence in the Digital Age

Examining how digital and social contexts shape beliefs, behaviours, and opinions. Focus on mechanisms of conformity, persuasion, and group dynamics in online environments.

Susceptibility to Harmful Influence

Investigating why individuals fall prey to misinformation, manipulation, polarization, and extremism, and how personal, social, and technological factors amplify vulnerability.

Psychological Interventions and Cognitive Resilience

Designing and testing interventions - from inoculation strategies to game-based methods - that counter harmful influence and strengthen resilience in democratic discourse.

AI and Emerging Technologies in Influence

Exploring how AI shapes persuasion and political dialogue, while developing ethically grounded uses of AI for democratic resilience and informed decision-making.

Experimental and Computational Approaches

Using lab experiments, online platforms, and computational models to simulate social influence, track misinformation spread, and test interventions at scale.

Harnessing psychology for a resilient future

I am a psychologist and cognitive scientist whose research explores how social influence shapes our beliefs, behaviours, and opinions in the digital age. My work sheds light on why people become vulnerable to harmful influence - from misinformation and manipulation to polarization and extremism - and what can be done to counter these threats. 

A central aim of my research is to develop and test psychological interventions that strengthen cognitive resilience and empower citizens to make informed decisions. Drawing on experimental, computational, and game-based methods, I design tools that help societies resist digital manipulation and foster healthier democratic dialogue. My collaborations with NATO StratCom, the WHO, and other international organisations ensure that my findings translate into real-world impact. 

Beyond research, I am committed to academic citizenship and global collaboration. I have held visiting fellowships at Harvard Business School and Princeton University, and I actively engage with policymakers, educators, and civil society to share insights on building digital resilience. My vision is to harness psychology to protect democracy and empower societies to thrive in a rapidly changing information landscape.