Idiocy of Politics Fogging Perception

Fascinating Gallup Poll just came out about the relationship of perceptions of news media coverage and political affiliation.

Here was the primary question on the survey:

Generally speaking, do you think the news media have been providing an accurate or inaccurate account of the situation in Iraq?


Republicans

Accurate
(25%)

Inaccurate,
make situation
appear better
(5%)

Inaccurate,
make situation
appear worse
(67%)


Democrats

Accurate
(55%)

Inaccurate,
make situation
appear better
(32%)

Inaccurate,
make situation
appear worse
(8%)


Independents

Accurate
(42%)

Inaccurate,
make situation
appear better
(25%)

Inaccurate,
make situation
appear worse
(29%)


So, basically, the findings say that Republicans think news media coverage about Iraq is inaccurate by making the situation there appear worse, while Democrats think the coverage is generally accurate, but for those who see it as inaccurate, they see the news media making the situation in Iraq appear better than it is.

As for independents, about 4 in 10 think coverage is about right, and for those who think the coverage is inaccurate, they are roughly split as to whether the media are making the situation appear better or worse than it really is.

This is a very interesting example of selective perception -- perceiving what is going on in the world based on previously held beliefs. What is scary is how far apart Republicans and Democrats are in terms their perceptions of news coverage of Iraq.

What the survey did not report was the news media consumption habits of the respondents. I wonder if the Republicans tended to watch the Fox News Channel and the Democrats CNN. Maybe this is not just selective perception, but selective exposure as well.