A nationally representative experiment (≈2,500 adults) found that viewing just four race- or protest-themed headlines reduced approval of lawful police force by about 7 percentage points versus neutral controls. The effect hit liberals and conservatives alike and could compound with real‑world saturation after incidents.
— If minimal headline exposure can shift views on legitimate force, media framing becomes a direct lever on policing legitimacy, cooperation, and policy.
Thomas Hogan
2025.10.01
55% relevant
The article attributes a rise in ambush‑style attacks to growing anti‑police sentiment; prior experimental evidence shows that exposure to protest‑framed headlines measurably lowers public approval of lawful police force, suggesting a media‑driven attitudinal environment that can enable such hostility.
2025.08.26
95% relevant
It cites Scott Mourtgos’s survey (~2,500 adults) finding that exposure to protest/race‑themed headlines drops approval of legally reasonable police force by ~7 percentage points, directly matching the experimental result in the existing idea.
Scott Mourtgos
2025.08.25
100% relevant
Scott Mourtgos’s survey showing a ~7‑point drop after four headlines viewed for roughly 16 seconds in total.
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