Abstract
ABSTRACT This study builds on cultivation theory to consider how use of different media – including television, social media, and podcasts – may predict belief in unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrials. Extending previous research on media use and belief in paranormal phenomena, the study tests whether consumption of specific television genres, television news outlets, social media platforms, and podcast programs is linked to greater belief in UFOs. An analysis of national survey data (N = 1,035) collected two months after the widely publicized release of a US government report on ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ shows that paranormal documentary and reality television viewing, Fox News viewing, YouTube use, and Joe Rogan Experience listening were positively associated with belief in UFOs. By illuminating how specific forms of media use predict public beliefs about one type of purported paranormal phenomena, the findings suggest future directions in investigating beliefs about other topics on the fringes of conventional inquiry.
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