What the Public "Knows" About Media Effects Research: The Influence of News Frames on Perceived Credibility and Belief Change

News articles about media effects research were presented to 333 participants to experimentally test the effects of three independent variables on perceived credibility of both the journalist and featured scientist: whether the sources in the news story supported or contradicted the findings of the featured scientist, journalist gender, and whether the story matched or mismatched preexisting beliefs about the link between media exposure and subsequent effects. In turn, we tested whether perceived credibility of both the journalist and the scientist resulted in a belief change about media effects research. Results indicate that the conflict frame (i.e., balance norm) decreased perceived credibility of the scientist and in some conditions decreased credibility of the journalist. Perceived credibility positively correlated with belief change. Implications for science communication, persuasion and issue framing are discussed.