SNSPA Digital Repository
Welcome to SNSPA Digital Repository, the institutional repository of the National University of Political Sciences and Public Administration.
The repository contains research produced by SNSPA academic staff, including journal articles, book chapters, books, working papers, conference papers, and more.
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Recent Submissions
Exposure to Online Hateful Content and Users’ Engagement: A Silencing Effect
(University of Southern California, 2024) Corbu, Nicoleta; Buturoiu, Raluca; Ștefăniță, Oana; Dumitrache, Alexandru
Although there has been recent interest in the effects of exposure to online hate speech targeting ethnic minority groups, there are some underexplored areas. In a context dominated by debates over free and hateful speech across social media platforms, it has never been more pertinent to investigate whether exposure to Facebook content targeting Roma people, Europe’s largest ethnic minority group, leads to different levels of willingness to act (either positively, countering hateful content, or negatively, enhancing it). By a 4 × 2 experimental design (degree of hate speech × valence of accompanying comments) conducted in Romania, this research shows people’s general tendency to keep silent and avoid supporting or reacting in favor of the Roma minority group. Results can be used for evidence-based solutions to limit and discourage online hateful content.
Regional Disparities in Literacy and Numeracy Skills Among Romanian Adults: Evidence From e-PASS 2023
(John Wiley & Sons, 2025) Stancea. Andreea; Corbu, Nicoleta; Buzoianu, Corina
This article investigates regional disparities in Romanian adults' numeracy and literacy skills. We analyse a novel data set that combines the assessment of numeracy and literacy competencies of the adult population in Romania with information about regional economic conditions and educational administrative data. Using a background questionnaire and a cognitive test following e-PASS methodology and tools (everyday-life Practices and Skills Survey), the study is one of the first to assess the key skills of the Romanian adult population. The e-PASS survey is based on the Literacy Assessment and Monitoring Programme (LAMP), developed by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), and corresponds to PIAAC levels 1 and below 1. The findings indicate that individuals performing better at literacy and numeracy assessments have higher levels of education, are part of younger generations, and live in urban areas and economically developed Romania's regions. The results of this study provide a detailed picture of the current situation and can serve as a benchmark against which to compare current results in the region or future longitudinal findings.
Can AI-Attributed News Challenge Partisan News Selection? Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment
(SAGE Publications, 2025) Zoizner, Alon; Matthes, Jörg; Corbu, Nicoleta; De Vreese, Claes; Esser, Frank; Koc-Michalska, Karolina; Schemer, Christian; Theocharis, Yannis; Zilinsky, Jan
With artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly shaping newsroom practices, scholars debate how citizens perceive news attributed to algorithms versus human journalists. Yet, little is known about these preferences in today’s polarized media environment, where partisan news consumption has surged. The current study explores this issue by providing a comprehensive and systematic examination of how citizens evaluate AI-attributed news compared to human-based news from like-minded and cross-cutting partisan sources. Using a preregistered conjoint experiment in the United States (N = 2,011) that mimics a high-choice media environment, we find that citizens evaluate AI-attributed news as negatively as cross-cutting news sources, both in terms of attitudes (perceived trustworthiness) and behavior (willingness to read the news story), while strongly preferring like-minded sources. These patterns remain stable across polarizing and non-polarizing issues and persist regardless of citizens’ preexisting attitudes toward AI, political extremity, and media trust. Our findings thus challenge more optimistic views about AI’s potential to facilitate exposure to diverse viewpoints. Moreover, they suggest that increased automation of news production faces both public mistrust and substantial reader resistance, raising concerns about the future viability of AI in journalism.
Attitudes towards Russia in a Country bordering War-torn Ukraine: Antecedents, Prevalence, and Consequences for Voting Behaviour
(European Institute of Romania, 2025) Corbu, Nicoleta; Ștefăniță, Oana; Durach, Flavia; Vladu, Loredana
The war in Ukraine has raised many questions about how people in bordering countries react to such a conflict. Do they understand its stakes? How do they form their opinions about the belligerent parties, and what influences their attitudes and their domestic political choices? In this context, using a national survey (N=1000) with control variables for religiosity, education, and gender, we examine how the Romanians’ attitudes towards the Russian Federation are shaped by their political knowledge, conspiracy mindset, and media consumption and trust. We found that people prone to take pro-Russia attitudes usually have lower levels of political knowledge, hold conspiracy beliefs, consume and trust more the news disseminated through social media, and are more likely to vote with extreme right-wing parties. Religiosity and gender are also important aspects that influence people’s attitudes in the sense that more religious males take a more positive stance towards Russia.
Fighting disinformation through media literacy: From current practices to policy making in Europe
(Center for Research on the English-Speaking World (CREW), 2025) Frau-Meigs, Divina; Corbu, Nicoleta; Osuna-Acedo, Sara
The new media ecosystem has deeply transformed the way online disinformation spreads and multiplies in the last few years. Consistent efforts have been made at national and European levels to find efficient ways to fight disinformation and raise public awareness about the dangers associated with it. In this context, the current study gathers expert opinions about current practices and possible ways to intervene through public policies in fighting disinformation, with a focus on media literacy solutions. In European-funded project YouVerify, in-depth interviews were conducted with disinformation fighters, journalists, and policy makers (N=30) in three European countries (France, Romania, and Spain), to find solutions that could actively contribute to implementing public policy in this area. The main results show similarities and differences between the three countries, especially in projected future solutions. All respondents see the enhancement of current practices as mandatory in the future. Additionally, in France, interviewees see fact-checking, quality journalism, and media regulation as the main drivers of the fight against disinformation, while in Romania experts focus on research and education, and in Spain on education and awareness campaigns. Experts in all countries consider media literacy as key instrument of the future policies to fight disinformation.