Feeling Our Way Through Misperceptions

This study investigates how emotions shape the psychological processes underlying the correction of political misperceptions and how the source of corrective information interacts with these emotional dynamics. Using two scenario-based survey experiments conducted in the US and UK (N=3,610), we examine the effects of corrective information about the anthropogenic causes of climate change when delivered by either experts or citizens’ assemblies. We find that corrective information consistently elicits heightened negative emotions (e.g., anger, frustration, anxiety) and suppresses positive emotions (e.g., happiness, enthusiasm). Importantly, only two discrete emotions—anxiety and empathy—significantly predict greater willingness to revise misperceptions. Contrary to expectations, the source of corrective information does not produce differential emotional or behavioural effects. These findings advance understanding of the emotional mechanisms influencing misperception correction, highlight the nuanced role of specific emotions in shaping corrective behaviour, and contribute to the literature on citizen-centred political institutions and their public influence. Our results have broader implications for research on the emotional foundations of political beliefs and opinion formation in polarized contexts.