Negative news, misinformation, and public support for development cooperation: Can evidence literacy education build resilience?

Vollständiger Abstract

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Abstract Motivation In late 2023, the German government faced public criticism for funding cycle paths in Peru. This episode is particularly salient given a broader trend of declining public support for development cooperation. Purpose This study investigates how exposure to negative information about development cooperation affects public support for these policies. In particular, it asks whether negative information undermines support and whether this effect can be mitigated through the provision of evidence or through evidence literacy education. Approach and methods The research questions are addressed using two survey experiments: a theory‐driven conjoint experiment and a vignette experiment based on a newspaper article reporting on German‐funded cycle paths in Peru. Findings Across both experiments, we find a robust and substantial negative effect of negative information on public support for development cooperation. Evidence on potential mitigation strategies is mixed. Although the provision of evidence literacy education does not consistently buffer the negative impact of negative information, it significantly increases individuals' propensity to seek additional information. Policy implications The findings suggest that negative media coverage poses a serious challenge in maintaining public support for development cooperation. Although evidence literacy alone may not shield public opinion from negative information, it appears to foster a more critical and inquiry‐oriented public. Policy communication strategies may therefore benefit from complementing factual information with longer‐term investments in evidence literacy to strengthen democratic resilience in debates on development policy.