Existing studies reveal that survey respondents are sensitive to
information sources regarding political corruption. This sensitivity appears stronger
among politically sophisticated citizens.
In a nationwide survey across Argentina, we successfully replicate findings initially
observed in Brazil, suggesting robustness of these results beyond specific contexts.
Moreover, this research investigates whether partisan identity influences how
citizens process information about corruption origins.
* Data & Methods: Nationwide survey replicating prior cross-national work;
investigation across diverse citizen types (copartisans, opposition partisans,
non-partisans).
Key Findings:* Contrary to expectations, all groups (regardless of sophistication
or partisan identity) show similar responsiveness to credible corruption information.
Citizens uniformly demonstrate awareness and weighting based on source credibility.
This finding challenges the notion that political sophistication is necessary for
source evaluation regarding corruption.
* Why It Matters: Demonstrates widespread sensitivity to information quality even
about highly politicized topics like corruption. The results highlight a consistent
citizen behavior across different political identities, simplifying previous models of
information processing.