Evaluating Didactic and Exemplar Information: Stimulating the Brain via tDCS Reveals Message Processing Mechanisms

• In Event: Biological Approaches to Political Communication: What Can Our Genes, Eyes, Brain, and Skin Tell Us?

Abstract

People in their everyday lives encounter claims about various health, political, and economic issues. These claims are often supported by evidence based on didactic or exemplar information. In the research reported here, we use for the first time a non-invasive brain stimulation technique (tDCS) in order to examine the cognitive mechanisms underlying people’s ability to support or refute claims conveyed by messages that contain didactic or exemplar information. Our results suggest that the evaluation of exemplar-based evidence engages more automatic processes than the evaluation of didactic information. Our study highlights the utility of tDCS in the study of message processing and provides information regarding the contexts in which exemplar or didactic evidence will be more effective.

Authors

• Jason C. Coronel, The Ohio State U

• Matthew Brook O'Donnell, U of Pennsylvania

• Elizabeth C Beard, U of Michigan

• Emily Falk, U of Pennsylvania