Effects of Corrections on Misperceptions

University of California, Davis

This study examines whether political misinformation and misconceptions can be corrected.

Persistence of Political Misinformation

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/40587320.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A1c21dffa0d457bfb1fad0cfe512b26b9

When Corrections Fail: The Persistence of Political Misperception

Unknowingly having incorrect beliefs, mainly on contemporary political/policy issues, especially when politicans and elites would have an incentive to misrepresent facts.

This may be due to the fact that modern politics is increasingly not black and white, compared to standard political questions. 

Defining Misperceptions

Kublinski et. al:
random sample in Illinois- generally inaccurate beliefs, those who were the most incorrect had the highest confidence in their knowledge


Bullock:
when subjects were shown evidence of false beliefs, they became more confident in their misperceptions


Gilens, Howell, Sides: 
corrections have little to no effect on immigration, crime and foreign aid, and education policies


 Previous Research on Misperceptions

OLS Regression on Political Misrepresentations

1. The effect of the corrections on misperceptions will be moderated by political ideology.
2. Corrections will not reduce misperceptions amongst the ideological subgroup that holds the misperception.
3. In certain cases the correlation between corrections and political ideology will be so strong for the participant that the misperceptions will increase for said ideological group. 

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