Did fake news chase Obama voters from Clinton?

Study suggests Trump may owe his 2016 victory to 'fake news' [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 15 February 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Earlier this week, intelligence officials warned Congress about the dangers of continuing Russian interference in the U.S. electoral system. Of course, “fake news” – some of it fabricated in Russia – got a lot of attention during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. But was it just an annoyance or something more sinister? Three scholars associated with the Comparative National Election Project at The Ohio State University explain how they tested the notion that [fake news may have actually swung the election.]( The fact is, voters are probably more susceptible to fake news than you’d think. When literary scholar Andy Elfenbein was researching his book “The Gist of Reading,” he came across a substantial amount of psychology research showing just how powerful misinformation can be. Reading something false – be it a newspaper article or a novel –[can even make us doubt common knowledge](, like the fact that George Washington was the country’s first president. Despite having excellent reputations, some of America’s top high schools are making headlines when their students get caught cheating on tests. To reduce the temptation to cheat, Ohio State professor of educational psychology Eric M. Anderman suggests educators find [a new focus]( to replace test scores and grades. Emily Costello Deputy Editor/Politics + Society Editor Top Stories Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton concedes the 2016 presidential election. AP Photo/Matt Rourke [Study suggests Trump may owe his 2016 victory to 'fake news']( Richard Gunther, The Ohio State University; Erik C. Nisbet, The Ohio State University; Paul Beck, The Ohio State University Yes, votes are cast based on many factors. But a new survey and analysis suggests that belief in fake news could have been decisive during the 2016 election. Even common knowledge isn’t immune. ledokolua/Shutterstock.com [Writing's power to deceive]( Andrew Elfenbein, University of Minnesota Reading something that sows doubt about a widely agreed-upon fact – even the election of George Washington as president – can have a profound effect. Several recent cheating scandals have rocked some of America’s most prestigious high schools. Shutterstock.com [Why students at prestigious high schools still cheat on exams]( Eric M. Anderman, The Ohio State University Despite embarrassing publicity about cheating at top US high schools, academic dishonesty remains a problem. Could focusing on mastery instead of test scores help mitigate the problem? 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Apparently, Sicily of 6,000 years ago was more sophisticated than archaeologists had given it credit for. - [What the flu does to your body, and why it makes you feel so awful]( Laura Haynes, University of Connecticut Anyone who's had the flu can attest that it makes them feel horrible. But why? What is going on inside the body that brings such pain and malaise? An immunologist explains. Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [When the next generation looks racially different from the last, political tensions rise]( [Manuel Pastor]Manuel Pastor University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111