Just published: Policy Paper 09 from Sandra Walzenbach and Thomas Hinz

Jenseits von Fakten und Argumenten: Wie Mehrheitsgesellschaft und „Querdenker“-Bewegung Medieninhalte wahrnehmen.

In this paper, the authors Sandra Walzenbach and Thomas Hinz tackle the phenomenon of people rather believing what confirms their pre-existing opinion: confirmation bias. Can it also explain the increasing polarization between the majority society and the "Querdenken" movement during the corona pandemic? Sandra Walzenbach and Thomas Hinz studied the perception of media content and the role of confirmation bias as opposed to a piece of information's actual quality, and they discuss consequences for communicating scientific and political information.

The Policy Paper Nr. 09, published by the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" and the "Progressive Zentrum e.V." can be downloaded here (available in German only).