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How misinformation is distorting COVID policies and behaviors

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  • How misinformation is distorting COVID policies and behaviors

    Source: ​[url

    https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-misinformation-is-distorting-covid-policies-and-behaviors/​][/url]


    ...

    The U.S. public is also deeply misinformed about the severity of the virus for the average infected person. In December, we asked, “What percentage of people who have been infected by the coronavirus needed to be hospitalized?”

    The correct answer is not precisely known, but it is highly likely to be between 1% and 5% according to the best available estimates, and it is unlikely to be much higher or lower. We discuss the data and logic behind this conclusion in the appendix.

    ...


    ...

    How information affects policy preferences and consumption behaviors


    To isolate how exposure to discreet pieces of information may affect attitudes, we randomly assigned people to read short news-like segments, averaging 44 words each. These pieces of content were all accurate summaries of relevant data, advice, or the results of COVID-specific research, and they were chosen to be either reassuring or alarming with respect to the threat from the disease (see Appendix, Table 1 for full list).

    We then asked people whether or not they would support various state and local policies that would allow in-person schooling, indoor dining, and other policies. We also asked them how likely they are to consume away-from-home services in the next month, such as eating out.

    The results of this experiment show that people exposed to alarming news (about record-high cases or hospitalizations) were significantly less likely to support re-opening restaurants or bars for indoor services and significantly less likely to support re-opening schools (elementary or secondary) or universities to in-person learning.

    The experimental conditions produce a large range of opinions, even within political groups. The percentage of Biden voters who support re-opening schools to in-person learning is as low as 43% to as high as 60%, depending on which news segment we assigned them to read before asking them the question. Reporting to people that new cases are at record levels reduced support more than any group, whereas telling people about the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation in favor of in-person schooling resulted in the largest support. The range was just as large for Trump voters (64% to 80%). The implication is that one can easily induce massive gaps in public opinion (a 37 percentage point gap) if Biden supporters are given only alarming news and Trump supporters are given only reassuring news. Yet, the gaps could be as low as 4 percentage points if voters are exposed to messaging that runs against their preconceived bias.

    ...

    © Copyright Original Source



  • #2
    I recall something from last Summer where a survey found that most people thought over a million Americans had died of the Chicom chronavirus at a time fatalities were around 150,000.

    Odd that nobody thought it necessary to correct that sort of misconception.

    I'm always still in trouble again

    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
      I recall something from last Summer where a survey found that most people thought over a million Americans had died of the Chicom chronavirus at a time fatalities were around 150,000.

      Odd that nobody thought it necessary to correct that sort of misconception.
      The official numbers have always been easily accessible. I have no idea how anyone could be so uninformed.

      Do you remember who did the poll, or where it can be found?

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
        I recall something from last Summer where a survey found that most people thought over a million Americans had died of the Chicom chronavirus at a time fatalities were around 150,000.

        Odd that nobody thought it necessary to correct that sort of misconception.
        Not the study you're talking about, but a similar one on how people (especially democrats) vastly overestimate the risks for people under 55 (while wrongly thinking that over 55 make up only half the deaths from covid), as well as some other interesting stuff:

        https://www.franklintempleton.com/in...m-science.html

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Backup View Post

          The official numbers have always been easily accessible. I have no idea how anyone could be so uninformed.

          Do you remember who did the poll, or where it can be found?
          It was one of these things being discussed on the radio when I was eating lunch in my car while at work (the company closed the lunch room due to Covid). The show isn't a political one so there were no political axes to grind.

          Moreover, the stats in the OP are easily available and yet it appears virtually everyone was sorely uninformed.

          I'm always still in trouble again

          "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
          "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
          "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
            It was one of these things being discussed on the radio when I was eating lunch in my car while at work (the company closed the lunch room due to Covid). The show isn't a political one so there were no political axes to grind.

            Moreover, the stats in the OP are easily available and yet it appears virtually everyone was sorely uninformed.
            Given the correct counts were typically being displayed in banners in most legitimate news outlets, it sounds somewhat suspicious.

            I think you really need a source for this. Otherwise I wouldn't be using it as a point in debate.
            My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. James 2:1

            If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not  bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless James 1:26

            This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; James 1:19

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by oxmixmudd View Post

              Given the correct counts were typically being displayed in banners in most legitimate news outlets, it sounds somewhat suspicious.
              That’s a good point. I was thinking I would check google, but the numbers were continually running on CNN.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Gondwanaland View Post

                Not the study you're talking about, but a similar one on how people (especially democrats) vastly overestimate the risks for people under 55 (while wrongly thinking that over 55 make up only half the deaths from covid), as well as some other interesting stuff:

                https://www.franklintempleton.com/in...m-science.html
                If you look at the graph in the OP, Democrats and Republicans are not that far apart on perception of death by age. Democrats are closer to correct on everyone, but the 65 and up one. This is the same source.

                Both Republicans and Democrats underestimated the percentage of deaths to those over 65 by around half.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Backup View Post

                  If you look at the graph in the OP, Democrats and Republicans are not that far apart on perception of death by age. Democrats are closer to correct on everyone, but the 65 and up one. This is the same source.

                  Both Republicans and Democrats underestimated the percentage of deaths to those over 65 by around half.
                  That's what happens when you have constant fear mongering on the media for months on end.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Gondwanaland View Post

                    That's what happens when you have constant fear mongering on the media for months on end.
                    Fearmongering about the risk of death is where Dems misconstrue the facts the most. That's what stood out to me.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                      I recall something from last Summer where a survey found that most people thought over a million Americans had died of the Chicom chronavirus at a time fatalities were around 150,000.

                      Odd that nobody thought it necessary to correct that sort of misconception.
                      And even then, a lot of deaths attributed to the China flu were not necessarily caused by the China flu. And then there's the strange fact that reports of influenza related deaths all but disappeared in 2020.
                      Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                      But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                      Than a fool in the eyes of God


                      From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Gondwanaland View Post

                        That's what happens when you have constant fear mongering on the media for months on end.
                        I assume that the people surveyed were mostly consumers of mainstream news which would account for the similarity in perception. Personally, my response to a such a survey would have aligned mostly with the yellow bars, which is why I maintain the belief that nobody outside of the highest risk group should even think about getting the experimental China flu vaccines which were approved for emergency use only.
                        Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                        But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                        Than a fool in the eyes of God


                        From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Gondwanaland View Post

                          That's what happens when you have constant fear mongering on the media for months on end.
                          I don’t consider it “fear mongering” when you are dealing with a highly contagious pandemic that killed more than half a million Americans.

                          The age of the victims just wasn’t that highly disseminated. Neither was their height or religion.

                          Older people are more likely to die of almost all causes.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Backup View Post
                            Older people are more likely to die of almost all causes.
                            True. Except for infant mortality.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Backup View Post

                              I don’t consider it “fear mongering” when you are dealing with a highly contagious pandemic that killed more than half a million Americans.

                              The age of the victims just wasn’t that highly disseminated. Neither was their height or religion.

                              Older people are more likely to die of almost all causes.
                              I do when the media is hyping up orders of magnitude higher death rates than we actually had.

                              And yes the age of victims wasn't highly disseminated by the fearmongerers, in order to push the fear to everyone.

                              Comment

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