Persuasion in Parallel

How Information Changes Minds about Politics

By Alexander Coppock | Publisher: University of Chicago Press

About the book

A bold re-examination of how political attitudes change in response to information.
 
Many mistakenly believe that it is fruitless to try to persuade those who disagree with them about politics. However, Persuasion in Parallel shows that individuals do, in fact, change their minds in response to information, with partisans on either side of the political aisle updating their views roughly in parallel. This book challenges the dominant view that persuasive information can often backfire because people are supposedly motivated to reason against information they dislike. Drawing on evidence from a series of randomized controlled trials, the book shows that the backfire response is rare to nonexistent. Instead, it shows that most everyone updates in the direction of information, at least a little bit. The political upshot of this work is that the other side is not lost. Even messages we don't like can move us in the right direction.

Editions of Persuasion in Parallel

Hardcover
ISBN 9780226821825
Paperback
ISBN 9780226821849
EBook
ISBN 9780226821832

Read an Excerpt

A bold re-examination of how political attitudes change in response to information.
 
Many mistakenly believe that it is fruitless to try to persuade those who disagree with them about politics. However, Persuasion in Parallel shows that individuals do, in fact, change their minds in response to information, with partisans on either side of the political aisle updating their views roughly in parallel. This book challenges the dominant view that persuasive information can often backfire because people are supposedly motivated to reason against information they dislike. Drawing on evidence from a series of randomized controlled trials, the book shows that the backfire response is rare to nonexistent. Instead, it shows that most everyone updates in the direction of information, at least a little bit. The political upshot of this work is that the other side is not lost. Even messages we don't like can move us in the right direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Persuasion in Parallel about?

A bold re-examination of how political attitudes change in response to information.
 
Many mistakenly believe that it is fruitless to try to persuade those who disagree with them about politics. However, Persuasion in Parallel shows that individuals do, in fact, change their minds in response to information, with partisans on either side of the political aisle updating their views roughly in parallel. This book challenges the dominant view that persuasive information can often backfire because people are supposedly motivated to reason against information they dislike. Drawing on evidence from a series of randomized controlled trials, the book shows that the backfire response is rare to nonexistent. Instead, it shows that most everyone updates in the direction of information, at least a little bit. The political upshot of this work is that the other side is not lost. Even messages we don't like can move us in the right direction.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Persuasion in Parallel?

Society and Social Sciences > Politics and government

Where can I read a sample of Persuasion in Parallel?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780226821825

How long is Persuasion in Parallel and how many pages does it have?

Persuasion in Parallel has 216 page(s)

Is Persuasion in Parallel part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series Chicago Studies in American Politics

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Persuasion in Parallel?

Alexander Coppock

Who is the Publisher of the book Persuasion in Parallel?

University of Chicago Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Persuasion in Parallel is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780226821825) and paperback(ISBN 9780226821849) and ebook(ISBN 9780226821832)

Where can I buy Persuasion in Parallel online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Persuasion in Parallel from below

Where can I buy Persuasion in Parallel?