People who consume news compulsively are more likely to harbor political hostility, according to a new study published in the journal Communication Research. The study shows that people who are obsessed with political news are more likely to view opponents as enemies, leading to hostile behavior such as online fighting. However, people with higher levels of mindfulness are less likely to fall into this pattern, suggesting ways to reduce political tensions.
News outlets often exaggerate political conflicts, presenting a world in which opposing sides seem locked in a never-ending battle. These depictions can have a real impact on viewers. Some people may get so caught up in these news reports that they view the political landscape as a battleground where the “other side” is a threat and fuels anger and aggressive behavior. Given the current climate of heightened political tensions, researchers wanted to understand whether consumption of problematic news was contributing to this hostility.
Furthermore, the researchers aimed to investigate the role of mindfulness in mitigating these effects. Other studies have shown that mindfulness, which involves being aware of the present and reducing reactions to external stimuli, reduces unhealthy behaviors such as internet addiction and excessive smartphone use. The researchers hypothesized that mindfulness could prevent individuals from having a problematic relationship with news consumption and prevent the escalation of political rivalries.
“Following the news has always been considered an important civic duty, but if you look around, it’s easy to see that for many people, news consumption is unhealthy and problematic,” said study author Brian.・Associate professor at McLaughlin University stated. Texas Tech University. “We were very interested in this idea that people can develop an addictive relationship with news. Following this initial observation, we I have been trying to learn more about the personal and social consequences of being in a relationship.”
For the study, McLaughlin and colleagues conducted their first cross-sectional survey in the summer of 2021. The researchers recruited 1,100 U.S. adults and intentionally oversampled those who identified strongly with a political party. Of this group, 870 participants self-identified as partisans, meaning they have strong political loyalties, and therefore research focused on political hostility. is particularly relevant to
This study used multiple measures to assess the study’s key variables. Participants were asked about their level of problematic news consumption (PNC) and were asked to complete a 17-point questionnaire that recorded how addicted they were to the news, how much the news interfered with their daily lives, and how often they checked the news. It was measured using items. The researchers also examined whether participants accepted aggressive behavior toward political opponents, as well as hostile behaviors such as taunting (insulting or mocking others online) or clashing with friends or family over politics. Political hostility was measured using questions regarding actual involvement in activities.
We also measured mindfulness. This was assessed through questions regarding participants’ ability to remain present and aware in their daily lives. Finally, the researchers assessed participants’ conflict approach orientation, a personality trait that measures how comfortable people are with conflict. Some people avoid confrontation, while others actively engage in it.
The findings showed a clear relationship between problematic news consumption and increased political hostility. The more addicted people are to the news, and the more the news interferes with their lives, the more likely they are to support or engage in hostile political action. Additionally, mindfulness was found to have a protective effect. People with higher levels of mindfulness are less likely to develop problematic news consumption patterns.
Furthermore, the relationship between problematic news consumption and political hostility was particularly strong for individuals high in conflict approach tendencies. These people who were comfortable with confrontation were more likely to act on their political hostility when they were deeply immersed in political news.
Based on these findings, the researchers conducted a subsequent study to further investigate these relationships using a longitudinal approach. The second study involved a two-wave survey conducted in fall 2022 using an initial sample of 1,800 U.S. adults. Of these, 852 participants completed both surveys, allowing researchers to track changes over time.
The longitudinal design also allows researchers to control for participants’ prior levels of political hostility, allowing them to explore how changes in news consumption habits over time affect future hostility. It is now possible to investigate. In other words, this study helped rule out the possibility that individuals who are already hostile are simply more likely to engage in problematic news consumption.
The results largely confirmed previous findings. The researchers found that participants who had higher levels of problematic news consumption in the first wave were more likely to support and engage in hostile political behavior in the second wave. Mindfulness again served as a protective factor. People who score high on mindfulness, particularly in terms of being aware of the current situation and not being overly critical, are less likely to form problematic news consumption patterns and, as a result, less likely to harbor political hostility. Ta.
“When people become so obsessed with the news that they can’t stop thinking about it and it interferes with other aspects of their daily lives, they become even more hostile towards those who hold opposing political views. ”McLaughlin told SciPost. “This seems to be most likely to occur among people who are used to confrontation in general. On the other hand, being more mindful, or focusing more of your attention on the here and now, can ground people. We’ve found that it can help people feel more confident and less likely to have a problematic relationship with the news.”
However, there are some caveats to consider. Although the second study used longitudinal data to track changes over time, it is still not possible to conclusively prove a causal link between problematic news consumption and political hostility. Not yet. Experimental research is needed to confirm whether consumption of problematic news directly leads to increased political hostility or whether other factors are at play. Furthermore, the types of news consumed were not analyzed in detail, which limited our ability to determine how specific news sources and content contributed to hostility.
Despite these limitations, this study provides a valuable framework for understanding how an unhealthy relationship with news fosters political hostility, and how mindfulness can reduce this hostility. This suggests that it may be an important tool for
“Our goal is to continue to learn about problematic news consumption, its causes and consequences, and what we can do to address it,” McLaughlin said.
The study, “Living in a (Mediated) Political World: Mindfulness, Problematic News Consumption, and Political Hostility,” was written by Brian McLaughlin, Melissa R. Gottlieb, Devin J. Mills, Michael J. Sera, written by Joshua Crowdy.
