Why Citizens' Social Media Spillo Could Worsen Political Distrust

Widespread distrust in politicians is often blamed on elites. But this article turns to citizens, arguing they actively worsen the problem.

The core mechanism: a psychological bias where people prefer sharing information about others' selfish actions online. We call it "interpersonal transmission bias" — spreading stories that harm social cohesion but serve individual interests.

Data & Methods:

• Experimental studies designed to observe real-world communication chains.

Key Findings:

• Citizens disproportionally spread negative political information through interpersonal channels.
• This selective sharing directly contributes to feelings of distrust toward politicians and policy disapproval among recipients.

Why It Matters:

• Offers a crucial mass-level perspective on fostering political polarization.
• Provides insights for designing campaigns against misinformation in politics.