New Books in Sociology

Taylor N. Carlson, "Through the Grapevine: Socially Transmitted Information and Distorted Democracy" (U Chicago Press, 2024)

Jan 26, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Taylor N. Carlson, an associate professor of political science at Washington University in St. Louis, delves into the dynamics of how information spreads in today's society. He explains that a significant portion of Americans now rely on peer-to-peer communication rather than traditional media for political insights. Carlson reveals the consequences of this shift, including increased bias and misinformation, leading to distorted democratic processes. He also explores the dual impact of social conversations on public attitudes, especially regarding critical issues like immigration and environmental policy.

53:21

Episode guests

Taylor N. Carlson

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Quick takeaways

Socially transmitted information enhances political engagement while simultaneously increasing the spread of misinformation, challenging democratic integrity.

The shift from traditional media to peer-shared political information results in biased interpretations, contributing to polarization and distorted democracy.

Deep dives

The Nature of Socially Transmitted Information

Socially transmitted information refers to the way individuals share political information through personal interactions, often impacting political understanding and behavior. This transmission differs from traditional media, where information is presented in a more structured manner. For example, when individuals discuss news articles with peers, key details can be lost or altered, resulting in biased or incomplete accounts of the original content. These distortions can affect how people perceive political issues and candidates, as evidenced by varied interpretations of the same news article among Democrats and Republicans.

Intro

2min

The Dynamics of Information in Democracy

12min

The Impact of Social Transmission on Democratic Engagement and Misinformation

3min

Exploring Experimental Methods in Information Transmission and Political Engagement

3min

The Impact of Socially Transmitted Information on Public Attitudes

21min

Media Effects and Political Conversations

8min

Accurate information is at the heart of democratic functioning. For decades, researchers interested in how information is disseminated have focused on mass media, but the reality is that many Americans today do not learn about politics from direct engagement with the news. Rather, about one-third of Americans learn chiefly from information shared by their peers in conversation or on social media. How does this socially transmitted information differ from that communicated by traditional media? What are the consequences for political attitudes and behavior?

Drawing on evidence from experiments, surveys, and social media, in Through the Grapevine: Socially Transmitted Information and Distorted Democracy (University of Chicago Press, 2024) Dr. Taylor N. Carlson finds that, as information flows first from the media then person to person, it becomes sparse, more biased, less accurate, and more mobilizing. The result is what Carlson calls distorted democracy. Although socially transmitted information does not necessarily render democracy dysfunctional, Through the Grapevine shows how it contributes to a public that is at once underinformed, polarized, and engaged.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars.

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