Depolarising or “Rallying the Base”? The Role of Humour in Communicating Climate Change Consensus Stevenson, J. (Monash University), Clarke, E. J. R. (Federation University Australia & Misinformation Lab, Deakin University) With climate change remaining a politically divisive issue, successfully communicating the scientific consensus on global warming across the political spectrum has become increasingly important. However, […]

Political Partisanship in Responses to Sexual Misconduct Allegations against Politicians Clarke, E. J. R. (Federation University Australia, Misinformation Lab, Deakin University), Klas, A. (Misinformation Lab, Deakin University) Since the advent of #MeToo, the number of sexual misconduct allegations made against male politicians within the public sphere has markedly increased. However, polling indicates that political affiliation […]

The Antidepressant Hoax: Mere Exposure to Conspiracy Theories Decrease Intention to Seek Medical Help Marques, M. D. (La Trobe University), Natoli, E. E. (La Trobe University) Increasing attention to research on conspiracy theories has progressed understanding of the epistemic, existential, and social motives underlying these beliefs. Yet there is little evidence on the consequences of […]

Trust and Legitimization – Policing Among Racial Groups Kappmeier, M. (University of Otago) When it comes to trust in the police, group status matters: Previous research shows consistently that members from minority groups trust the police less than members from majority groups. Without the trust that the police indeed serves one’s group, the police lacks […]