Can a country move ahead when its citizens hold dueling facts? Shutterstock David C. Barker, American University School of Public Affairs and Morgan Marietta, University of Massachusetts Lowell The Mueller report was supposed to settle, once and for all, the controversy over whether the Trump team colluded with Russians or […] Read more »
How fake news gets into our minds, and what you can do to resist it
Julian Matthews, Monash University Although the term itself is not new, fake news presents a growing threat for societies across the world. Only a small amount of fake news is needed to disrupt a conversation, and at extremes it can have an impact on democratic processes, including elections. Read more: […] Read more »
Why Partisanship Changes How People React To Noncontroversial Statements
New research finds that partisans agree with bumper sticker slogans — unless they are told that those slogans were made by a leader of the opposing party. NPR News Read more »
Why Good Politics And Good Climate Science Don’t Mix
… Scientists who study the psychology of storytelling and rhetoric say there are several factors that give climate change denialists an advantage in the political marketplace. Simplicity and smoothness of the message is a big part of it, said Eryn Newman, professor of psychology at the Australian National University. In […] Read more »
All the Best Polls Agree with Me: Bias in Evaluations of Political Polling
Public opinion polls play a central role in American politics–they dominate headlines, shape candidate messaging, and inform the electorate. Given the potential impact of polls on political decision making, it is important to understand how the public makes sense of polling results. On what basis does the public decide whether […] Read more »
How to have productive disagreements about politics and religion
Psychology research suggests a new tool for your ‘disagreement toolbox.’ Dragon Images/Shutterstock.com Larisa Heiphetz, Columbia University In the current polarized climate, it’s easy to find yourself in the midst of a political disagreement that morphs into a religious argument. People’s religious affiliation predicts their stances on abortion, immigration and other […] Read more »