Getting through: Communicating complex information

Michael McMahon and Matthew Naylor

No 18537, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: Policymakers communicate complex messages to multiple audiences; we investigate how complexity impacts messages 'getting through' effectively. We distinguish 'semantic' complexity - the focus of existing empirical studies - from 'conceptual' complexity, which better reflects information-processing costs identified by theory. We conduct an information-provision experiment using central bank communications; conceptual complexity - captured by a novel quantitative measure we construct - matters more for getting through. This is true even for technically trained individuals. Bank of England efforts to simplify language have reduced traditional semantic measures, but conceptual complexity has actually increased. Our findings can direct efforts for effective policy communication design.

Keywords: Information; transmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C83 E58 E61 E70 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-10
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Working Paper: Getting through: communicating complex information (2023)
Working Paper: Getting through: communicating complex information (2023)
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