Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Evidence-Based Policy And Misinformation: Exploring The Public’S Processing Of Information, Amy E. Hann

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

As the online spread of misinformation increases, policymakers are finding it more difficult to ensure that the public is only exposed to the evidence they share and that their evidence is believed. Policymakers find they must now combat misinformation spread by a variety of entities. This dissertation explored thematic concepts regarding information in existing literature – information as a thing, information as a public good, information as propaganda, information use by elected officials, and information on social media. This dissertation exposed participants to conservative and liberal misinformation and corrective information to determine how they processed policy information. This study explored …