Abstract

Determining the accuracy, amount, and types of political information citizens remember is a central concern in public opinion and political communication research. This chapter argues that adopting a cognitive neuroscience perspective on memory can advance our understanding of how citizens make sense of the political world. To best illustrate how a cognitive neuroscience view of memory can improve research in political communication, examples from two important domains are given: political learning and knowledge, and processing misinformation. Ultimately, concepts and methods from neuroscience can inform assessments about the capacity of citizens to meet the challenges of democratic life.