An exploration of U.S. adults’ information processing skills and political efficacy

Abstract

In our current era of fake news and (dis)information, understanding the association between information processing skills and political efficacy in the U.S. is a significant inquiry for adult and continuing education. Data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) was used to explore relationships between U.S. participants’ information processing skills and political efficacy. We further analyzed whether the relationship varied across levels of civic engagement, formal educational attainment, immigrant status, or the range of books in the home. The results illustrate that higher levels of literacy, numeracy, and PS-TRE are associated with higher political efficacy for U.S. participants. Our research is framed in both cognitive and critical lenses, and we provide implications for practice in adult and continuing education settings.