Issue-Specific Activism on Climate Issues on Facebook

Even as scholars discuss changes in the ways in which young adults approach politics – and particularly their focus on specific issues and social concerns rather than dutiful political participation – a lot of what we know about political engagement via social media focuses on politics proper: political candidates and campaigns. While this research is largely promising …

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Cell phones, Type II error, and motivated reasoning

The chief medical officer from Wales recommends teens text rather than talk on their cell phones, despite other concerns about the problems of texting. Because new research suggests that efforts to correct misperceptions often backfire based on political ideology, journalists have to be very careful suggesting correlations exist as it may be hard to dissuade people of their beliefs if new evidence comes to light.