Jay Van Bavel's talk on the Partisan Brain at the 2018 Aegina Summer School.

1. NYU
SOCIAL PERCEPTION
& EVALUATION LAB
@jayvanbavel
THE PARTISAN BRAIN

2. T
“That was the largest audience to witness an inauguration,
period. Both in person and around the globe.”
- Sean Spicer

3. Alternative facts
“You’re saying it’s a falsehood…our Press Secretary gave
alternative facts.” - Kellyanne Conway

4. "The Party told you
to reject the evidence
of your eyes and ears.
It was their final, most
essential command."
- George Orwell

6. Trump vs ClintonVoters

8. WTF?

9. WTF?
1) We have highly
partisan brains

10. WTF?
1) We have highly
partisan brains
2) Partisan brains
shape beliefs

11. WTF?
1) We have highly
partisan brains
2) Partisan brains
shape beliefs

12. Our Partisan Brains

13. Our Partisan Brains

14. Our Partisan Brains

15. Our Partisan Brains

16. Our Partisan Brains

17. Our Partisan Brains
Cikara,Van Bavel, Ingbretsen, & Lau, 2017, JEPG

18. Blue Feed, Red Feed

19. Blue Twitter, Red Twitter
Brady,Wills, Jost,Tucker &,Van Bavel, 2017, PNAS

20. Moral-emotions divide
Brady,Wills, Jost,Tucker &,Van Bavel, 2017, PNAS

21. Russian propaganda

22. Russian propaganda

23. Russian propaganda

24. Russian propaganda

25. Russian propaganda

26. Russian propaganda
“Falsehood diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and
more broadly than the truth in all categories of information,
and the effects were more pronounced for false political news
than for false news about terrorism, natural disasters, science,
urban legends, or financial information.” (Science, 2018)

28. FAKE
NEWS!

29. WTF?
1) We have highly
partisan brains
2) Partisan brains
shape beliefs

30. WTF?
1) We have highly
partisan brains
2) Partisan brains
shape beliefs

31. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS

32. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS

33. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS

34. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS
AccuracyIdentity

35. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS

36. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS

37. Our Partisan Brains
Van Bavel & Pereira, 2018,TiCS

38. Study 1: Real news
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review
1) Confirmation bias
2) Ideological values
3) Partisan Brains
THREE HYPOTHESES

39. Real news

40. Real news
11 Schwartz, 2012
Liberal values
Conservative values
Equality
Environment
protection
Honesty
Peace
Security
Tradition
Success

41. Liberal values: Peace
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review

42. H1: Confirmation Bias
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review

43. H2: Ideological values
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review

44. H3: Partisan Brain
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review

45. Pereira &Van Bavel, under review
For all hypotheses,
Democrats and
Republicans should show
the opposite effect

46. Liberal values: Peace

47. Liberal values: Peace

48. Conservative values: Security
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review

49. Conservative values: Security

50. Conservative values: Security

51. Study 1: Real news
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review
1) Confirmation bias
2) Ideological values
3) Partisan Brains
THREE HYPOTHESES

52. Study 2: Fake news
Real Fake News
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review
1) Confirmation bias
2) Ideological values
3) Partisan Brains
THREE HYPOTHESES

53. Study 2: Fake news

54. Study 2: Fake news

55. Study 2: Fake news

56. Study 2: Fake news

57. Study 2: Fake news
Real Fake News
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review
1) Confirmation bias
2) Ideological values
3) Partisan Brains
THREE HYPOTHESES

58. Study 2: Fake news
Real Fake News
Pereira &Van Bavel, under review
Control condition

59. Study 2: Fake news
Control condition

60. Study 2: Fake news

61. Summary
•Democrats: Default is disbelief,
unless they like the news

62. Summary
•Democrats: Default is disbelief,
unless they like the news
•Republicans: Default is belief,
unless they dislike the news

63. Sharing Fake news

64. Sharing Fake news
“Falsehood diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and
more broadly than the truth in all categories of information,
and the effects were more pronounced for false political news
than for false news about terrorism, natural disasters, science,
urban legends, or financial information.” (Science, 2018)

65. Sharing Fake news

66. Sharing Fake news

67. Summary
•Democrats & Republicans are both more likely to believe news
when that belief fulfills iden2ty goals:
•Ingroup value-upholding behavior
•Outgroup value-undermining behavior

68. Summary
•Democrats & Republicans are both more likely to believe news
when that belief fulfills iden2ty goals:
•Ingroup value-upholding behavior
•Outgroup value-undermining behavior
•Republicans are more likely to share news on social media
when that fulfills idenBty goals

69. Summary
•Democrats & Republicans are both more likely to believe news
when that belief fulfills iden2ty goals:
•Ingroup value-upholding behavior
•Outgroup value-undermining behavior
•Republicans are more likely to share news on social media
when that fulfills idenBty goals
•Republicans are more likely to believe apoli2cal news (Batboy)

70. Implications
•Social goals drive belief, not:
•Personal values bolstering
•Stereotype confirmaBon

71. Implications

72. Implications

73. When prophecy fails

74. When prophecy fails

79. 1) Self-criticism
2)Value accuracy
3) Open minds

80. Summary
1) We have highly
partisan brains
2) Partisan brains
shape beliefs

81. @vanbavellab
BradyPereira
Wills Harris