Resource Type: Social Science Research

So much new social science research, polling, articles, field reports, and other great evidence gets added to the Lab’s Resource Library each week, that it can be hard to keep up (even for us on staff!). We’ve taken a beat to look back at forty of the most significant pieces we’ve uploaded so far this year and the key themes that emerge from what we’re learning.

People don’t buy as many electric vehicles (EVs) because they misperceive the mileage driving range of the EV car batteries. However, correcting these misperceptions in people can reduce their concern about vehicle range and increased their stated willingness to pay for EVs (specifically those with battery ranges between 60 and 240 miles, relative to a 50-mile-range baseline model). When this study provided people with this accurate EV driving range information, it increased people’s willingness to pay for EVs more than did providing information about how accessible vehicle charging stations are. The authors argue that this research can be turned into political messaging about EVs.

This resource lists a brief bibliography of research informing the need to combat disinformation, focused on Reality Team’s audience priorities, strategies and tactics. Subcategories include “disinformation is pervasive and persuasive on social media,” “non-news readers are vulnerable to disinformation,” “beliefs affect actions” and “best practices for countering disinformation.”