The power of connecting perspectives, explained
Creating positive impact is at the heart of our mission, so conducting research into the effects of the Civinc method is as well.
Read below what scientific studies have revealed in that regard.
Fighting polarization
The Civinc concept was first developed to connect (100.000+) voters with different political views ahead of successive Dutch elections (see also about). Dr. Jona de Jong studied the impact of anonymous chat conversations on participants’ perception.
The result? Even short (10-minute) conversations on the Civinc platform lead to significantly less polarized views of ‘the other side’ and a greater willingness to engage in discussions. The studies have been published here and here, supported by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior.
Building confidence & listening skills
The Civinc concept is also used for educational purposes, to practice constructive dialogue and stimulate skill-building. Sponsored by the SIDN Fund, Utrecht University has conducted large scale research on the impact thereof.
A study that involved 800 + students confirmed that in using Civinc they become more understanding of peers with different views, and more willing to engage with them. Moreover, they became more confident and articulate in expressing their viewpoint, and better able to listen to arguments from the other side. Find more info about the research here.
Enabling safe & meaningful dialogue
Across sessions on different topics and in different settings (educational and professional), we ask participants about their perceived ability to meaningfully contribute to the conversation as well as their perceived safety.
The numbers show that more than 85% of participants indicate that allows them to (very / somewhat) meaningfully contribute to the conversation with Civinc. In addition, over 60% indicate they feel more safe to share their authentic opinion with Civinc compared to a group setting.
