The Nature and Origins of Misperceptions: Understanding False and Unsupported Beliefs About Politics

Abstract

Political misperceptions can distort public debate and undermine people's ability to form meaningful opinions. Why do people often hold these false or unsupported beliefs, and why is it sometimes so difficult to convince them otherwise? We argue that political misperceptions are typically rooted in directionally motivated reasoning, which limits the effectiveness of corrective information about controversial issues and political figures. We discuss factors known to affect the prevalence of directionally motivated reasoning and assess strategies for accurately measuring misperceptions in surveys. Finally, we address the normative implications of misperceptions for democracy and suggest important topics for future research.

What do people know about climate change ― and how confident are they? On measurements and analyses of science related knowledge

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“…In order to develop effective communications strategies, survey studies need to identify 'misperceivers'. Not only can misperceptions have a negative impact on attitudes and behaviors, but because of an individual's high level of confidence and their profound perception of being right, this group is least likely to be corrected [Flynn, Nyhan and Reifler, 2017;Kuklinski et al, 2000].…”

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