Projection or Persuasive Press? Contrary Effects of Personal Opinion and Perceived News Coverage on Estimates of Public Opinion |
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| Authors: | Albert C Gunther Cindy T Christen |
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| Affiliation: | Albert C. Gunther (PhD, Stanford University, 1987) is a professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.;Cindy T. Christen (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2000) is an assistant professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University |
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| Abstract: | This study explores the effects of personal opinion and perceived media content on individuals' assessments of public opinion, as well as the curious phenomenon that, although people perceive public agreement with their own point of view, they tend to see press coverage as disagreeable. One hypothesis, based on theories of projection of personal opinion, predicts that people will see public opinion as much like their own, but a contrary outcome is suggested by 2 interrelated hypotheses, the hostile media effect and the persuasive press inference. Data were collected on 4 issues from a large, representative national sample and provided evidence for all 3 effects. Projection received the most consistent support, but findings indicate that this assimilation effect can be substantially offset by media coverage seen as both disagreeable and influential. |
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