That’s even more true when it comes to political polarization on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Misinformation is everywhere. People believe things that have been debunked months or even years ago. The truth not only spreads slower than lies, it sometimes never even arrives at its intended destination.
For example, when COVID-19 first hit the United States in 2020, the topic wasn’t as polarized as it eventually became. But as the election season rolled in, a dramatic shift occurred. Social media became a battleground flooded with misinformation. What exactly happened?
This question intrigued Cornelia Pechmann, Professor of Marketing at the Merage School of Business at UCI, and Xiajing Zhu, a PhD candidate at the same institution. Their years of research delved into the relationship between political polarization and the spread of misinformation, culminating in a study published in the Journal of Marketing titled “Political Polarization Triggers Conservatives’ Misinformation Spread to Attain Ingroup Dominance.”
The Evolution of Misinformation
Initially, Pechmann and Zhu observed that there was no significant difference between Republicans and Democrats in spreading misinformation about COVID-19. However, as the election season began, a stark contrast emerged. Republicans started sharing significantly more misinformation. Zhu was particularly curious about the reasons behind this surge.
The research began with an analysis of Facebook pages, aiming to understand the patterns and psychology behind the spread of misinformation. They discovered that Republican conservatives were predominantly responsible for the misinformation surge. This pattern was consistent with findings from other researchers, such as John Jost, Professor of Psychology at NYU.
Lest you suspect that these researchers were biased in their analysis, let’s point out that Zhu’s unique perspective as someone from China, where the political landscape and media environment are vastly different, helped her maintain complete neutrality. In fact, it was this objectivity that allowed Zhu and Pechmann to explore the intricacies of how misinformation spread among partisan groups without bias.
The Context of Misinformation
A fascinating aspect of their research revealed that both Conservatives and Liberals are similar in their baseline tendencies to share misinformation. However, the significant spikes in misinformation sharing among Republicans were triggered by situations that felt like political conflict. In competitive scenarios, such as election periods, Republicans exhibited a higher propensity to spread misinformation.
Pechmann explains that this behavior stems from a desire to win and achieve ingroup dominance. Republicans prioritize their party’s success, often resorting to misinformation as a strategy, especially when provoked by polarized news headlines or political events.
Digging Deeper: Data and Patterns
To further their study, Pechmann and Zhu utilized data from PolitiFact, a nonprofit organization that rates the accuracy of political statements. They categorized the statements by topic and identified which topics were highly polarized using data from Pew Research. Their findings consistently showed that Republicans were more likely to share misinformation on polarized topics.
They also examined the impact of polarization on the stock market, using data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The correlation between spikes in Republican misinformation and polarized news was evident, reinforcing their hypothesis.
Media’s Role in Polarization
Another critical discovery was the difference in news headlines between print and online media. Online headlines tended to be more polarized, which fueled the spread of misinformation. For example, headlines about George Santos being kicked out of Congress varied significantly between print and online versions, with online headlines often presenting a more polarized view.
In their experiments, when participants were presented with polarized headlines, Republicans were significantly more likely to share them, even when unsure of their accuracy. This contrasted with Democrats, who remained more consistent regardless of the headline’s polarization.
Historical Context and Solutions
The research extended to analyzing presidential speeches from the 1900s to the present, revealing that the pattern of polarization among conservatives has persisted for over a century. This long-standing trend highlights the deep-rooted nature of political polarization in American politics.
To combat the spread of misinformation, Pechmann and Zhu suggest reducing polarization in the media and implementing education programs that emphasize fact-checking and critical thinking. They propose making it more challenging to share posts flagged as misinformation and incorporating courses on misinformation detection into public education curriculums.
Moving Forward
While polarization may not disappear soon, there are steps we can take to mitigate its impact. Education and responsible media practices are crucial in this endeavor. By teaching future generations to verify information and think critically about their sources, we can hope to create a more informed and less polarized society.
In conclusion, the study by Pechmann and Zhu sheds light on the intricate relationship between political polarization and the spread of misinformation. Understanding these dynamics is essential in addressing the challenges posed by misinformation in our increasingly polarized world.
Next Steps
So, what can we do to practically address this problem of misinformation and polarization? First, we can take steps to ensure we do not share things on social media that we haven’t vetted first. Do we read articles or do we share things based on the headlines we agree with without taking the time to see what the article is actually about? Secondly, do we tend to consume information within a particular silo? If so, we are inadvertently allowing ourselves to become polarized in our views. As much as possible, we should try to see what other news sources have to say compared to our favorite news sources. We just might realize that there is more to the story than we’ve been told.
Finally, we can take the time to listen to those who are not just like us and engage in open dialog with those we disagree with. Not to win arguments, but as a way of admitting that we may have something to learn from those who think differently.
If we can do those things, perhaps there’s some hope for breaking out of this polarized social media fantasy land where one side is forever raging against the other side without really taking time to learn, listen and understand.
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The newest book from Keith Giles, “The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas” is available now on Amazon. Order HERE>
Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has appeared on CNN, USA Today, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.”
He co-hosts The God Squad podcast, and the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast.
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