I have spent much of my career studying ways to blunt the effects of disinformation and help the public make sense of the complexities of politics and science. When my colleagues and I probed the relation between the consumption of misinformation and the embrace, or dismissal, of protective behaviors that […] Read more »
PBS could help rebuild trust in US media
In February, M&RR, a marketing research firm, released the results of a “nationwide survey” that found PBS to be “America’s most trusted institution.” … In order to understand the issue of trust, to see how PBS can capitalize on this level of trust to expand viewership, and to ponder the […] Read more »
How Americans Navigated the News in 2020: A Tumultuous Year in Review
Americans are divided – that much is obvious after a contentious presidential election and transition, and in the midst of a politicized pandemic that has prompted a wide range of reactions. But in addition to the familiar fault line of political partisanship, a look back at Pew Research Center’s American […] Read more »
Biases in Information Selection and Processing: Survey Evidence from the Pandemic
How people form beliefs is crucial for understanding decision-making under uncertainty. This is particularly true in a situation such as a pandemic, where beliefs will affect behaviors that impact public health as well as the aggregate economy. We conduct two survey experiments to shed light on potential biases in belief […] Read more »
Move over Fox News, Trump voters are shifting toward Newsmax, OANN
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, most people have missed the shift of Trump voters away from Fox News and into the hands of Newsmax and One America News Network, two news outlets that are only 6 years old but in that short time have managed to greatly improve […] Read more »
46,218 news transcripts show ideologically extreme politicians get more airtime
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks to the press after the House voted to remove her from committee assignments. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Joshua P. Darr, Louisiana State University ; Jeremy Padgett, University of Mobile, and Johanna Dunaway, Texas A&M University Committee assignments are normally a blessing for new House members. But […] Read more »