ICRG is a faculty/student collaborative research group that studies the relationships between communication and democracy in multiple contexts. With an initial focus on Latin America, this group has expanded its scope through a series of comparative collaborative research projects including the Comparative National Electoral Project (CNEP) and Comparative Political Culture Project. Faculty Leader: Hernando Rojas.
Recent News and Posts
ICRG publishes “Perceiving Immigrants as a Threat: A Motivational Approach to False Consensus”
In the new article “Perceiving Immigrants as a Threat: A Motivational Approach to False Consensus” in the journal Communication Research, the International Communication Research Group explores perceived threat of immigration as a motivational factor that mediates the relation between political ideology and false consensus, an overestimation of the frequency of one’s beliefs. Study results, show that conservatives are more sensitive to outgroup threat and thus are more likely to overestimate public consensus for their attitudes on immigration than their ideological counterparts. Abstract: False consensus, or biased projection of one’s opinion onto others, has repeatedly been described by political communication scholars … Continue reading
New publication “Social Media, Messaging Apps, and Affective Polarization in the United States and Japan” from ICRG
In the new article “The Contexts of Political Participation: The Communication Mediation Model Under Varying Structural Conditions of the Public Sphere” in the International Journal of Press/Politics, the International Communication Research Group examines the communication mediation model in 17 countries with varying levels of political freedom and digital infrastructure. Results show how these factors condition voting and protest behaviors. Abstract: This study explores how emerging media platforms (i.e., social media and messaging apps) contribute to affective political polarization. We rely on cross-national data (USA and Japan), which allows us to explore the broader implications of how emerging media platforms contribute … Continue reading
New from ICRG “The Contexts of Political Participation: The Communication Mediation Model Under Varying Structural Conditions of the Public Sphere”
In the new article “The Contexts of Political Participation: The Communication Mediation Model Under Varying Structural Conditions of the Public Sphere” in the International Journal of Press/Politics, the International Communication Research Group examines the communication mediation model in 17 countries with varying levels of political freedom and digital infrastructure. Results show how these factors condition voting and protest behaviors. Abstract:The communication mediation model asserts that the effects of news use on political participation are mostly indirect, mediated through discussion. Recent research has shown that this mediation process is stronger in countries where freedom of the press and expression are also … Continue reading
New from ICRG “What Motivates People to Correct Misinformation? Examining the Effects of Third-person Perceptions”
In the new article “What Motivates People to Correct Misinformation? Examining the Effects of Third-person Perceptions and Perceived Norms” in the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, the International Communication Research Group relates the third-person perception (TPP) and perceived norms, with people’s intentions to correct misinformation online. Abstract:Studies have suggested that rumors may ultimately be “self-corrected” by online crowds. Following the previous literature, we explored how two perceptual factors, including the third-person perception (TPP) and perceived norms, predict people’s intentions to correct misinformation online. Our findings show that people’s corrective intentions are positively associated with both factors. While previous scholarship … Continue reading
New ICRG article “Chatting in a mobile chamber: effects of instant messenger use on tolerance toward political misinformation among South Koreans”
In the new article “Chatting in a mobile chamber: effects of instant messenger use on tolerance toward political misinformation among South Koreans” in the Asian Journal of Communication, the International Communication Research Group explores the relationship between instant messaging (IM) app use and attitudes regarding political falsehoods. Using a nationally representative sample of South Korean adults, path analysis reveals that network homogeneity indirectly predicts citizens’ tolerant attitudes toward misinformation, through frequency of real-time chat app use for political communication. Abstract:Amid growing scholarly interest in identifying potential explanations for the persistence of fake news from an international context, this study explores … Continue reading
ICRG publishes “‘Fake News Is Anything They Say!’ — Conceptualization and Weaponization of Fake News among the American Public”
In the new article ““Fake News Is Anything They Say!” — Conceptualization and Weaponization of Fake News among the American Public” in the journal Mass Communication and Society, the International Communication Research Group examines the articulation of public opinion about so-called fake news. Coding respondents’ open-ended answers about what is “fake news” we found that while some respondents adopted a politically neutral, descriptive definition, others provided a partisan, accusatory answer. Specifically, the weaponization of fake news was evident in the way respondents used the term to blame adversarial political and media targets. Perceptions of fake news prevalence, partisanship strength, and … Continue reading
Rojas Publishes in Nature Human Behaviour on “Taming the Digital Information Tide”
Sebastián Valenzuela, Associate Professor in the School of Communications, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Hernando Rojas, Helen Firstbrook Franklin Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison published their commentary piece, “Taming the Digital Information Tide to Promote Equality,” in the August 2019 issue of Nature Human Behaviour. They argue that Interactive technologies are changing the ways we learn facts, develop attitudes and participate in politics, with the ensuing risk of increasing pre-existing inequalities. Addressing this challenge is the duty of researchers, technology companies, governments, and news organizations. They write, “political stratification is … Continue reading
Rojas publishes “A Call to Contextualize Public Opinion-Based Research in Political Communication”
Faculty Leader of the International Communication Research Group (ICRG) Hernando Rojas is the co-author on a new article, “A Call to Contextualize Public Opinion-Based Research in Political Communication” in the journal Poltical Communication, published in October 2019. Continue reading
New Publication: “Political tolerance of demobilizing armed actors: The case of FARC in Colombia”
Co-authored by International Communication Research Group (ICRG) Faculty Leader Hernando Rojas, the article “Political tolerance of demobilizing armed actors: The case of FARC in Colombia” was published in the journal Online First in September 2019. Continue reading
New Research on News Exposure, Second Screening from ICRG
On perception of income inequality, shows a negative relationship with news exposure in Colombia, but also a positive link between entertainment content and citizens’ understanding of income gaps. Moreover, findings suggest that more realistic perceptions of inequality, shaped by media exposure, are positively associated with redistributive policies and participation behaviors. Link. On second screening, provides evidence of persistent digital divides in terms of ICT access, ICT use, and second screening for news. This study examines how socioeconomic status (SES) relates to the adoption of second screening practices and explores the consequences of divides for democratic engagement. Link.