Partisanship and media contribute to political misperceptions

Human Sources

Dr. Elaine Hsieh

(405) 325-3254

ehsieh@ou.edu

Dr. Pat Meirick

(405) 325-1574

meirick@ou.edu

Pat Meirick, a communications professor at OU, talks about the political misperceptions about changes during George W. Bush's term. PHOTO:  Ajinur Setiwaldi

    A communications professor presented his research analysis on political misperceptions Friday, 17 about health care death panels and the Bush era before a group of University of Oklahoma colleagues and students.

    According to the analysis, partisanship, political knowledge and exposure to different types of media are major indicators of political perception or misperception.

    Pat Meirick specializes in political and mass communications in the communication department at OU. His research typically examines media effects focusing on cognition and motivation, according to his profile on the Department of Communication website.

    “Political misperception is the difference between not knowing a political fact and believing in a falsehood,” Meirick said.

    Meirick presented his misperceptions analysis previously to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Midwest Political Science Association in 2011.

    According to a study published in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly in 2008, people with more political knowledge and education are less susceptible to misperceptions.

    Meirick analyzed two studies, one about death panels and the other about change in conditions under George W. Bush. Partisanship and exposure to certain kinds of media play a major role in belief in myths like death panels, Meirick said.

   “The myth of death panels was widely repeated and believed by 30 percent of Americans,” Meirick said.    His analysis of death panel misperceptions are based on a 2009 study by the Pew research Center for the People and the Press.

    Biased news media like Fox can contribute to political misperceptions, Meirick said.

    “Fox news is an equal opportunity miss-informer across the parties,” he said.

    Television emerged as the most influential medium of predictor for political perceptions and misperceptions, said Meierick.

   Elaine Hsieh, also a professor in the department of communication, organized the research forum. Events like this is an opportunity for students to get to know their professors and their work better, Hsieh said.

   “A lot of students don't know their faculty members outside of the classroom,” Hsieh said.

   These research forums also allow professors to communicate their ides with colleagues and students, Hsieh said. Professors get to showcase their personal research, why they are reputable, and their scholarship, she said.

   The department will be hosting two more research forums this semester. Claude Miller and Jill Edy, both professors within the department will present their research analysis in March and April.