An integrated model of communication influence on beliefs

Abstract

How do people develop and maintain their beliefs about science? Decades of social science research exist to help us answer this question. The Integrated Model of Communication In fluence on Beliefs presented here combines multiple theories that have considered aspects of this process into a comprehensive model to explain how individuals arrive at their scientific beliefs. In this article, we (i ) summarize what is known about how science is presented in various news and entertainment media forms; (ii ) describe how individuals differ in their choices to be exposed to various forms and sources of communication; (iii ) discuss the implications of how individuals mentally process information on the effects of communication; (iv) consider how communication effects can be altered depending on background characteristics and motivations of individuals; and (v) emphasize that the process of belief formation is not unidirectional but rather, feeds back on itself over time. We conclude by applying the Integrated Model of Communication In fluence on Beliefs to the complex issue of beliefs about climate change.