Pre-requisites
There is no prior knowledge needed for students to follow this lecture. However, students may have taken courses such as research journalism, global ethics, rhetorics or persuasive communications that may provide them with additional support in the lecture.
Explanation of activity
Discussion and debate over the difference between fear and enthusiasm as well as pride and anger used by political campaigns and the role they play in the creation of an environment or not for spreading disinformation
Teacher materials
Relevant reading to understand the materials:
- Brader, T. (2005). Striking a Responsive Chord: How Political Ads Motivate and Persuade Voters by Appealing to Emotions. American Journal of Political Science, 49(2), 388–405.
Further reading to further develop the activity/understanding of the topic:
- Ridout, T. N., & Searles, K. (2011). It’s My Campaign I’ll Cry if I Want to: How and When Campaigns Use Emotional Appeals. Political Psychology, 32(3), 439–458.
Student Materials
- The Economist (2020) Hope turned out black voters for Barack Obama. Will fear bring them out against his successor? September 24, 2020
- The Economist (2023) How paranoid nationalism corrupts. Cynical leaders are scaremongering to win and abuse power, August 31, 2023.
Analysis of Student Understanding
While reading the texts, try to answer the following questions:
- Brader investigates fear appeals: how does he expect fear appeals to affect the determinants of people’s choices in the political arena including the spreading of disinformation ?
- Compare the effect of enthusiasm and fear appeals on people’s decision to consume and spread disinformation or not (or not).
Assessing and Evaluation
In assessing if students have understood the materials, educators should reflect together with the students on the following:
- What does ‘voter backlash’ refer to, and what are its implications for the timing of negative campaigns fuelled by disinformation ?
- Who is more likely to resort to fear appeals and disinformation: a candidate that is ahead in the polls, or behind? Why? Can you think of a recent example?
Modulations
I would add this excercise to provide a context to the discussion:
Watch the advertisements of the recent US campaigns as well as previous ones and determine which emotions they try to provoke and how disinformation might have involved through those
