1. Brichoux, David. and Joslyn, Mark."Political Memory: The Effects of Media Exposure and Trust in Government" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Boston Marriott Copley Place, Sheraton Boston & Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Massachusetts, Aug 28, 2002 Online <.PDF>. 2009-11-24 <http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p66258_index.html>
Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript Review Method: Peer Reviewed Abstract: Memory plays a key role in many theories of politics, yet the determinants of inaccurate political memories have not been the subject of much investigation. Combining a dosage-resistance theory of political communications with a theory of memory lapse and reconstruction, we predict that a clearly identifiable cluster of traits ought to render people vulnerable to inaccurate autobiographical memory. Testing our hypotheses with data from the ANES 1990-1991-1992 Gulf War Panel study on postwar memories of prewar preferences, we find empirical support for our theory. Among other factors, media exposure and trust in government increase vulnerability to misremembering, while education and political knowledge increase resistance. Finally, we show that inaccuracy in autobiographical memory can be tied to future political behavior: those whose recall was inaccurate in 1991 were more likely to vote for the incumbent in 1992.
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