Authors: William Minozzi, Michael A. Neblo, Kevin M. Esterling, David M.J. Lazer

Project Description: This study addresses the lack of causal evidence on whether direct appeals from political leaders influence public attitudes and behavior. Through two randomized field experiments with online town halls, the researchers find that interactions with members of Congress significantly increased persuasion on policy views, trust, approval, and even voting intentions. This challenges the "minimal effects" hypothesis often found in political communication literature.

Publication Details:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Vol. 112, No. 13 (March 2015), pp. 3937–3942

 Keywords: Persuasion, Online Town Halls, Political Behavior, Field Experiment