Media Effects and Agenda-Setting
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What does the term "Agenda Setting" refer to in the context of media and politics?

Agenda setting refers to the ability of media and political elites to shape public perception of important issues.

According to the Iyengar and Kinder (1987) study, what is the impact of media coverage on public perception?

  • Media coverage has no impact on public perception of issue importance.
  • Media coverage reinforces pre-existing political attitudes.
  • Media coverage influences public perception of issue importance. (correct)
  • Media coverage shapes public opinion on all issues in a decisive manner.

    • The concept of "Priming" in media studies suggests that media coverage of certain issues has no influence on the public's evaluation of political candidates.

    False

    What is the key difference between "Framing" and "Priming" in media effects research?

    <p>Framing refers to the influence of media on issue attitudes, while Priming focuses on how media influences candidate evaluation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a concern associated with the phenomenon of "selective exposure" in the age of fragmented media?

    <p>Increased political participation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The "Relative Entertainment Preference" (REP) measure focuses solely on the amount of time individuals spend consuming political content.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the core argument of Prior (2005)'s study "News versus Entertainment"?

    <p>Prior argues that the increased choice of media content in a fragmented media environment leads to polarization in political knowledge and participation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of immigration opinions research, what is the main concern regarding observational studies?

    <p>The main concern is the issue of endogeneity, meaning that the relationship between immigration opinions and factors like personal economics or cultural identities might be influenced by unobserved variables.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following research methods is specifically designed to address the issue of multidimensional decision-making in the context of immigration opinions?

    <p>Conjoint Experiments</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) intended to measure?

    <p>The CPI measures the perceived levels of corruption in countries worldwide based on expert assessments of political and bureaucratic corruption.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to De Vries and Solaz (2017), how does lack of information impact public perceptions of corruption?

    <p>Limited information can make it difficult for citizens to accurately assess the extent of corruption and assign causal responsibility for it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Research indicates that voters consistently punish corrupt politicians in elections, regardless of other factors.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the core research question addressed by Incerti (2020)'s study on electoral responses to corruption?

    <p>Incerti seeks to determine the extent to which voters punish corrupt politicians in elections by comparing results from field experiments and survey experiments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Nair (2018)'s study demonstrates that public awareness of global income disparities has no effect on their support for international redistribution.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the central concept emphasized in the definition of "Democratic Backsliding"?

    <p>Democratic backsliding refers to the gradual decline or elimination of political institutions that are essential for maintaining a functioning democracy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Svolik (2019), what is the key factor that undermines the public's ability to effectively check authoritarian ambitions of elected politicians?

    <p>Political polarization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Svolik's research suggest about the effectiveness of voters in opposing undemocratic measures?

    <p>Svolik's research suggests that while voters may be aware of undemocratic actions, they are less likely to punish politicians who engage in such behavior if those actions are seen as aligned with their partisan preferences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Prior (2005)'s research on the impact of new media suggests that the effects of increased media choice are uniformly positive in terms of political knowledge and participation.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is NOT a core finding of Cardenal et al. (2019)'s research on echo-chambers in online news consumption?

    <p>The study provides strong evidence of echo-chambers dominating online news consumption in Spain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary research objective of Bansak et al. (2016)'s study on European attitudes toward asylum-seekers?

    <p>Bansak et al.'s study focuses on understanding which types of asylum-seekers are more likely to be accepted by Europeans based on a range of attributes and characteristics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Bansak et al.'s findings suggest that European public opinion consistently reflects international legal norms regarding asylum-seekers.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of public opinion on international redistribution, what is the implication of Nair (2018)'s findings?

    <p>Nair's findings suggest that providing accurate information about global income disparities can influence public support for policies that redistribute wealth from richer countries to poorer ones.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Incerti (2020), why do field experiments often show a weaker effect of corruption information on voting behavior compared to survey experiments?

    <p>Incerti argues that field experiments are more susceptible to issues like weak treatments, non-compliance with the treatment, and low salience of the corruption information, all of which can reduce the overall impact on voting behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT considered a potential reason for the discrepancy between field and survey experiments on the impact of corruption information?

    <p>High voter turnout</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Noel's (2010) article "Ten Things Political Scientists Know That You Don't" emphasizes that political science is a field known for its simple answers and clear-cut conclusions.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main point conveyed by Noel's argument regarding "The Fundamentals, Stupid"?

    <p>Noel argues that while campaigns are important, they are often overshadowed by the influence of underlying political and economic factors, making those factors the primary drivers of election outcomes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT an insight about the nature of public opinion presented by Noel in his article?

    <p>Public opinion is remarkably stable and consistent over time.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Noel's discussion of "Duverger's Law", what is the primary impact of electoral systems on the development of party systems?

    <p>Duverger's Law suggests that single-member district plurality systems favor the establishment of two-party systems, making it more challenging for third parties to gain a significant foothold.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Noel's article suggests that "special interests" effectively control all governmental decision-making.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main takeaway from Noel's discussion of "The Grass Does Not Grow By Itself"?

    <p>Noel argues that social movements, even those perceived as spontaneous grassroots uprisings, are often organized and driven by leaders and groups, rather than emerging organically.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a core finding of Flynn, Wiesehomeier and Haciyakupoglu's (2023) research on fake news belief?

    <p>There are no significant differences in fake news belief between individuals with high and low levels of political interest.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The research by Flynn, Wiesehomeier, and Haciyakupoglu suggests that targeted interventions are the only effective solution for addressing the problem of fake news belief.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Studying Media Effects

    • 20th and 21st Century Changes include radio (1920s), television (1950s), cable (1980s/90s), internet (1990s), and social media (2000s)
    • Debate focuses on whether media shapes or reinforces political attitudes (minimal vs. maximal effects).
    • Methodological challenges arise from media content preferences being linked to opinions.
    • Key study: Iyengar and Kinder (1987) - first experimental study of media effects on broadcast news.

    Agenda-setting

    • Definition: Media and elites influencing public perception of important issues.
    • Quote: "The press...is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about" (Cohen 1963)
    • Aspects include positive and negative agenda power, status quo and interest group strategies, and issue ownership related to party/candidate strategies
    • Example: Status quo and interest group strategies
    • Political Institutions vary in ease of policy change (parliamentary vs. presidential)
    • Status Quo Bias: More veto points result in status quo bias
    • Punctuated Equilibrium Theory: Norm is inaction, punctuated by major policy changes.

    Iyengar and Kinder (1987) - Agenda-setting Hypothesis

    • Hypothesis: Prominent news issues become viewed as most important by the public.
    • Experiments used sequential and assemblage experiments, and observational analysis to study media effects.
    • Findings: Media coverage influences public perception of issue importance.

    Priming

    • Concept: Media focus on certain dimensions impacts how voters evaluate candidates.
    • Hypothesis: Media influences standards by which voters evaluate governments, presidents, policies, and candidates.
    • Iyengar and Kinder's Tests of Priming: Sequential and assemblage experiments.
    • Example: Priming defense & approval of President Reagan

    Framing vs. Priming

    • Framing: Affects issue attitudes.
    • Priming: Affects candidate evaluations.
    • Example: Should a hate group (e.g., KKK) be permitted to hold a public demonstration?

    Selective Exposure

    • Media Environment Changes: Radio, TV, cable, internet, social media
    • Media Fragmentation: More heterogeneous media, allowing selective content consumption
    • Concerns: Echo chambers, polarization, misinformation, extremism
    • Prior (2005) - "News versus Entertainment"
    • Selective Exposure Types: Political vs. non-political content, Partisan/ideological content
    • Main Argument: Increased choice leads to polarization in knowledge and participation
    • Key Measure: Relative Entertainment Preference (REP).
    • Normative Concern: Echo chambers
    • Effects: Ideological polarization, affective polarization, misinformation, and decreased tolerance/support for compromise
    • Cardenal et al. (2019) - "Echo-chambers in Online News Consumption" Study: SE in Spain using web tracking data
    • Findings: Evidence of selective exposure, especially among conservatives; strong cross-party exposure.
    • Selective Exposure: Limited to highly interested/motivated consumers.
    • Implications: Media expansion likely increases knowledge/participation gaps; motivation is key to increasing political knowledge.

    Approaches to Studying Immigration Opinions

    • Observational Studies: Correlations (personal economics, sociotropic economics, cultural/national identities, contact), concerns about endogeneity.
    • Potential solution: Experiments (e.g., Sides and Citrin 2007).
    • Conjoint Experiments: Study multidimensional decision-making, Randomize factors before asking participants to choose between alternatives. Estimate average effect of attribute on choice probability.
    • Example: Bansak et al. (2016).
    • Design & Results (of studies): DV: support for refugee admission, Attributes: asylum testimony, gender, country of origin.

    Corruption

    • Variation in Rates and Types of Corruption: Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.
    • Possible Effects of Corruption: Angry voters, incorrect causal attribution, illogical behavior.
    • Hypothesis: Corruption → anger → electoral backlash
    • Example: De Vries and Solaz (2017).
    • Perceptions of Corruption
    • Citizens struggle with causal attributions due to lack of media reporting, oversight, education
    • Example: Brazil's municipal audits
    • Causal Attributions: Citizens face difficulty with attributions.
    • Example: Higher corruption in complex systems.
    • Behavioral Responses: Voters' responses are complicated by partisan loyalty, lack of alternatives, vote buying.
    • Example: Electoral responses to corruption

    Electoral Responses to Corruption

    • Research Question: To what extent do voters punish corrupt politicians?
    • Field experiments: Arias et al. (2018) in Mexican municipalities
    • Survey experiments: Breitenstein (2019) in Spain

    Factors Affecting Redistribution Attitudes

    • Economic Self-Interest
    • Elite Rhetoric/Opinion Leadership
    • Ideology, Values, and predispositions (humanitarianism)
    • Information

    Public Opinion on Democracy

    • Definition: State-led debilitation or elimination of political institutions sustaining an existing democracy.
    • Common Examples: Crackdowns on political opposition, Restrictions on free/open elections, Suppression of independent press, Elimination of term limits, Expansion of executive authority, Subjugation of judiciary
    • Reason for difficulty in preventing/stopping backsliding (Svolik 2019): Paradox of Democratic Backsliding, Cumulative Effect, Polarization

    Svolik (2019), "Polarization versus Democracy"

    • Key Point: Trade-off between democratic interests and partisan interests.
    • Shifting Causes: From violent coups to "executive takeovers"
    • Measuring Commitment to Democracy: Abstract vs. specific measures
    • Dealing with Social Desirability Bias: Conjoint experiments, list experiments
    • Countries studied: Turkey, Venezuela, USA
    • Findings: Candidates supporting undemocratic measures lose votes; effect decreases with larger differences in policy or party affiliation, or more divided electorates.

    News vs. Entertainment: How Increasing Media Choice Widens Gaps in Political Knowledge and Turnout

    • Author: Markus Prior Source: American Journal of Political Science
    • Main Argument: Greater media choice allows people to find preferred content, leading to increased political knowledge and turnout for those who prefer news, and decreased knowledge and turnout for those who prefer entertainment.
    • Study Design: Uses a representative survey of 2,358 U.S. residents to measure media content preferences and their impact on political knowledge and turnout.
    • Audience preferences and selective exposure impact understanding of political news
    • Dual Impact of New Media, increases knowledge and involvement for some, while others tune out politics.
    • Content preference is key to understanding participation.

    Echo-chambers in Online News Consumption

    • Authors: Ana S. Cardenal, Carlos Aguilar-Paredes, Camilo Cristancho, Sílvia Majó-Vázquez
    • Main Focus: Investigates whether people live in echo-chambers when consuming political information online
    • Methodology: Combines survey and web-tracking data from Spain
    • Findings: Users spend more time in politically congenial outlets but engage in considerable cross-partisan media exposure. News events affect consumption patterns and selective exposure.

    How Economic, Humanitarian, and Religious Concerns Shape European Attitudes toward Asylum-Seekers

    • Author: Kirk Bansak, Jens Hainmueller, Dominik Hangartner Source: Science
    • Conjoint Experiment: 18,000 voters evaluated 180,000 profiles with varied attributes (employability, language skills, age, reason for migrating, asylum testimony consistency, vulnerabilities, religion, country of origin, gender).
    • Data: Online survey in 15 European countries, Entropy balancing for matching demographics.
    • Findings: Economic concerns (employability, language), Humanitarian concerns (asylum, persecution, vulnerabilities), Religious concerns (Christians preferred over Muslims), and country of origin all influence support.
    • Trade-off: In polarized electorates, voters are willing to trade off democratic principles for partisan interests

    Corruption Information and Vote Share: A Meta-Analysis and Lessons for Experimental Design

    • Author: Trevor Incerti Source: American Political Science Review
    • Discrepancy: Field experiments show near-zero effects; survey experiments show large negative effects
    • Reasons: Weak treatments, noncompliance, low salience in field experiments; Social desirability bias, hypothetical bias, lower costs of changing vote in survey experiments
    • Recommendations: Stronger treatments, measure noncompliance, repeated measurements, conjoint experiments, analysis focusing on predicted probabilities
    • Implications: Cautious interpretation of survey experiments related to real-world voting behavior

    Misperceptions of Relative Affluence and Support for International Redistribution

    • Author: Gautam Nair Source: The Journal of Politics
    • Key finding: Americans underestimate their global income rank (by 27 points on average) and overestimate the global median income by a factor of 10.
    • These misperceptions result in reduced support for foreign aid and international redistribution policies.

    Ten Things Political Scientists Know that You Don't

    • Author: Hans Noel Source: The Forum
    • Ten key insights from political science challenge conventional wisdom in American politics.
    • Political campaigns are less influential than the political environment
    • Public opinion is complex and influenced by various factors
    • Aggregating individual preferences into collective decisions is problematic
    • Election outcomes don't provide clear mandates for specific policies
    • Electoral systems influence party systems, resulting in two-party systems
    • Political parties are more essential for democracy
    • Many self-identified independents lean towards a party
    • Interests are special to someone, and organized interests hold more influence.
    • Social movements require organization and leadership
    • Understanding the limitations of political science findings is key.

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    This quiz explores the impact of media on political attitudes and public perception from the 20th and 21st centuries. It covers significant methodologies, key studies like Iyengar and Kinder, and the concept of agenda-setting as defined by media influence. Test your understanding of these influential media theories and their implications in political contexts.

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