ERIC Number: EJ1344747
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2167-8715
Political Polarization, Misinformation, and Media Literacy
Gaultney, Ira Bruce; Sherron, Todd; Boden, Carrie
Journal of Media Literacy Education, v14 n1 p59-81 2022
Today's college students grew up with digital news media and social media readily available on their smartphones. As a result, students are likely to use their smartphones to access the news through social media where partisan misinformation is easily spread. Efforts to combat the spread of misinformation on social media are being explored on several fronts, including media literacy programs. While media literacy is not a cure-all for the problems posed by misinformation, it is helpful for instructors to understand how adept U.S. college students are at assessing the credibility of the news on their phones and the influence political polarization has on the students' news consumption. This study addresses how 206 undergraduate students at a regional university in the Southwestern United States interact with social media, consume the news, and determine which news articles to believe. It offers insights into the role media literacy may have in addressing the issue.
Descriptors: Political Attitudes, Media Literacy, Undergraduate Students, Social Media, News Reporting, Role, Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Deception, Credibility, Teaching Methods, Student Attitudes, Trust (Psychology), Bias, Information Sources, Political Influences, Group Membership, Information Literacy
National Association for Media Literacy Education. 10 Laurel Hill Drive, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003. Tel: 888-775-2652; e-mail: editor@jmle.org; Web site: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A