How rational inference about authority debunking can curtail, sustain, or spread belief polarization.

ABSTRACT: In polarized societies, divided subgroups of people have different perspectives on a range of topics. Aiming to reduce polarization, authorities may use debunking to lend support to one perspective over another. Debunking by authorities gives all observers shared information, which could reduce disagreement. In practice, however, debunking may have no effect or could even contribute to further polarization of beliefs. We developed a cognitively inspired model of observers' rational inferences from an authority's debunking. After observing each debunking attempt, simulated observers simultaneously update their beliefs about the perspective underlying the debunked claims and about the authority's motives, using an intuitive causal model of the authority's decision-making process. We varied t

SUBMITTER: Radkani S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11475407 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature