Diverse Pre-Treatment Effects in Survey Experiments. Issue 2 (21st December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Linos, Katerina; Twist, Kimberly
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental political science. Volume 5:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 148
• Page End: 158
• Publication Date: 2017-12-21
• Subjects: survey experiment, -- pre-treatment, -- Supreme Court, -- public opinion; Political science -- Periodicals; Political science -- Research -- Periodicals; Political science -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 320.0724
• DOI: 10.1017/XPS.2017.29
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2052-2630

Abstract

Abstract: Researchers using survey experiments typically assume respondents are blank slates, encountering information for the first time. We study how prior real-world information dissemination through the mass media shapes experimental results. We show prior exposure can lead us to both under- and overestimate true framing effects in experiments. Message clarity moderates the impact of pre-treatment, with clear information more likely to produce pre-treatment effects than unclear information.