Replication Data for: Rethinking Propaganda: How State Media Build Trust Through Belief Affirmation

Research on propaganda often focuses on strategies that autocrats can use to persuade skeptical citizens. In this paper, I outline a different function of propaganda---reinforcing regime support and building trust through identity-consistent messages. Such affirmation propaganda results in more positive perceptions of propaganda outlets and skepticism about independent media. I test this argument using three studies in Russia. In two randomized experiments, I demonstrate that pro-regime citizens trust reports from state media more than reports from independent media; however, state media lose trust if they send more critical messages. Additional survey evidence suggests that regime supporters often find state media accurate despite recognizing the pro-government bias of these outlets. My analysis suggests that autocrats are more constrained by public opinion than previously thought. It also helps to better understand the role of persuasion and censorship in authoritarian regimes, and it highlights that independent media have limited power to challenge authoritarian rule.

现有宣传（propaganda）研究多聚焦于独裁者用以说服持怀疑态度民众的宣传策略。本文提出了宣传的另一项功能——通过契合受众身份的讯息强化政权支持度、建立公众信任。此类认同型宣传会使受众对宣传机构产生更积极的观感，同时加剧其对独立媒体的怀疑态度。本文依托俄罗斯开展的三项研究对这一论点进行验证：在两项随机对照实验中，研究结果显示，支持现政权的民众更信任官方媒体的报道，而非独立媒体的报道；但若官方媒体发布更多批判性内容，其公信力便会下滑。额外的调研证据表明，尽管支持现政权的民众知晓官方媒体存在亲政府偏向，但仍认为其报道准确。本研究分析表明，独裁者受公众舆论的约束程度远超此前学界认知。本研究亦有助于进一步理解威权政权中说服与审查的作用，并凸显出独立媒体挑战威权统治的能力十分有限。