Abstract
Scholars have raised concerns that on many issues, citizens are reluctant to trust factual evidence and statistics. One factor that has been shown to impact the perceived truth in statistics is how they are presented, where negatively framed statistics are perceived as truer than positive. This study explores when this bias applies and not. Results from a survey experiment confirm the presence of a negativity bias in truth perceptions, but also that effects are heterogeneous and moderated by, in particular, the recipients’ preexisting opinions. These findings provide valuable information to public actors responsible for disseminating factual information to diverse publics.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 981-1004 |
Number of pages | 24 |
Journal | Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly |
Volume | 101 |
Issue number | 4 |
Early online date | 18 Aug 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2024 |
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 508007 Communication science
Keywords
- equivalence framing
- media trust
- negativity bias
- opinion resonance
- perceived truth in statistical statements