Are biases contagious? The influence of communication on motivated beliefs

Andreas Grunewald, Victor Klockmann, Alicia von Schenk and Ferdinand von Siemens

No 109, W.E.P. - Würzburg Economic Papers from University of Würzburg, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper examines the potential reinforcement of motivated beliefs when individuals with identical biases communicate. We propose a controlled online experiment that allows to manipulate belief biases and the communication environment. We find that communication, even among like-minded individuals, diminishes motivated beliefs if it takes place in an environment without previously declared external opinions. In the presence of external plural opinions, however, communication does not reduce but rather aggravates motivated beliefs. Our results indicate a potential drawback of the plurality of opinions-it may create communication environments wherein motivated beliefs not only persist but also become contagious within social networks.

Keywords: Belief bias; Social interaction; Motivated beliefs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 C92 D83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-evo, nep-exp and nep-soc
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:wuewep:282999

DOI: 10.25972/OPUS-34893

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