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Can I Stick to My Guns? Motivated Reasoning and Biased Processing of Balanced Political Information

Mon, May 29, 15:30 to 16:45, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Floor: 2, Indigo 206

Abstract

Many citizens seek balanced political messages. The media also primarily offer content that presents two sides of a political issue. Despite that, most work on information processing studies exposure to one-sided content, i.e., either pro- or counter-attitudinal. We advance research on information processing by studying (1) how balanced and one-sided message affect information processing; (2) whether processing of balanced content is moderated by individual motivations; and (3) the impact of balanced exposure on attitude polarization. Using an online experiment, we prime either an accuracy or defensive motivation and examine information processing about climate change and Syrian refugees (N = 677). On both issues, participants engaged in less biased processing in response to balanced content, compared to pro- and counter-attitudinal content. Second, defensive and accuracy motivated individuals processed balanced content similarly. Third, only pro-attitudinal content, not balanced content, polarized individual attitudes, and this effect was not moderated by motivation.

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