Researchers from Graz University of Technology conducted an international study looking at millions of tweets posted by members of the U.S. Congress in the last ten years. They found that both Republican and Democratic politicians have been sharing more of their beliefs and opinions, along with information based on evidence. However, among Republicans, expressing their sincere beliefs and opinions was often linked to less reliable sources of information.

Data scientists and psychologists analyzed 3.8 million tweets from both Republican and Democratic members of Congress, covering the years 2011 to 2022. The researchers noticed that after Donald Trump won the presidential election in 2016, politicians from both parties started expressing their thoughts and convictions more openly.

Facts vs beliefs

To understand this better, the researchers came up with two ways of talking on Twitter: “belief-speaking” and “fact-speaking.” Belief-speaking means saying what you genuinely think, even if you don’t have evidence to back it up. Fact-speaking means using evidence and facts to support your opinions.

To tell the difference, the researchers worked with language experts and volunteers to make lists of words related to belief-speaking and fact-speaking. They then turned these lists into computer code, giving each word a number that showed how it fits into the whole language.

This research is essential because it helps us understand how politicians communicate in the age of social media. It shows us that both Republicans and Democrats are more open about their beliefs, but it also highlights differences in the reliability of their information sources. These findings are not just important for American politics; they also have implications for how people communicate globally in the future.

“The distinction between fact-speaking and belief-speaking may explain why three-quarters of Republican voters considered Donald Trump to be honest, despite his extensive record of false and misleading statements,” the authors conclude.

“The key insight is that one aspect of honesty is sincere expression of one’s beliefs, no matter whether or not they are accurate. This is where Donald Trump scored highly because he always seemed to speak his mind and reported how he felt in the moment.”