Behind the Bylines: Disagree, with comprehension

Behind the Bylines: Disagree, with comprehension

We routinely overestimate what news can achieve in terms of individual-level belief change. Research in the fields of sociology, psychology, and media studies supports the conclusion that information rarely functions as neutral input that rational actors use to update their beliefs. Instead, information is filtered through identity, emotion, and motivated reasoning. While misinformation and media literacy are important to address, the problem is…