How Do Politicians’ Own Opinions Affect Their Information Intake? A Survey Experiment among Belgian and Canadian Elected Representatives

A large and growing body of literature indicates that citizens are subject to selective exposure: they are more likely to consult information that aligns with their own opinions than information that contradicts their opinions. However, research in political psychology lacks evidence regarding selective exposure among elected politicians. This study fills this gap. A survey experiment about three policy issues (immigration, regulation of the economy, and federalism) was conducted among Belgian and Canadian elected politicians (N = 345) and citizens (N = 3549). Results confirm a selective exposure effect, for all three issues, amongst Belgian citizens. Belgian politicians as well as Canadian citizens and politicians, in contrast, exhibit selection exposure for just one of the three issues (regulation of the economy). These results suggest that the information habits of elected politicians may in some cases be measurably more balanced and inclusive than those of ordinary citizens.