University Honors

Following the 2016 Presidential Election, there has been an infamous rhetoric in the United States that posits Americans are adopting increasingly extremist political beliefs, resulting in rampant polarization and increased susceptibility to believing in conspiracy. The use of extreme language from politicians, along with using social media platforms as a primary way to consume news have been long since speculated as causes of this phenomena. The nature of receiving information in the age of social media is unprecedented, as people are vulnerable to misinformation and opinions that are often disguised as facts, often referred to as ìfake newsî. Despite extensive and relatively recent research on these topics, research has yet to be dedicated to examining students in, arguably, their most valuable years of discovery and learning. The goal of this research is to collect data via previous research of college students and young adults to gain insight into whether or not this popular rhetoric is reflected in the beliefs of college-level students, and subsequently conclude what causes determine their political beliefs. This research has found what causes college students to be susceptible to misinformation, and identify common trends among such students, such as their political beliefs, what sources dominate their news intake, and how being a student may impact their inclination to hold extremist views.