From ‘Total exoneration!’ to ‘Impeach now!’ – the Mueller report and dueling fact perceptions

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 »

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 »