TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived prevalence of misinformation fuels worries about COVID-19
T2 - a cross-country, multi-method investigation
AU - Matthes, Jörg
AU - Corbu, Nicoleta
AU - Jin, Soyeon
AU - Theocharis, Yannis
AU - Schemer, Christian
AU - van Aelst, Peter
AU - Strömbäck, Jesper
AU - Koc-Michalska, Karolina
AU - Esser, Frank
AU - Aalberg, Toril
AU - Cardenal, Ana Sofia
AU - Castro, Laia
AU - de Vreese, Claes
AU - Hopmann, David
AU - Sheafer, Tamir
AU - Splendore, Sergio
AU - Stanyer, James
AU - Stępińska, Agnieszka
AU - Štětka, Václav
AU - Zoizner, Alon
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Data suggests that the majority of citizens in various countries came across ‘fake news’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. We test the relationship between perceived prevalence of misinformation and people’s worries about COVID-19. In Study 1, analyses of a survey across 17 countries indicate a positive association: perceptions of high prevalence of misinformation are correlated with high worries about COVID-19. However, the relationship is weaker in countries with higher levels of case-fatality ratios, and independent from the actual amount of misinformation per country. Study 2 replicates the relationship using experimental data. Furthermore, Study 2 demonstrates the underlying mechanism, that is, perceived prevalence of misinformation fosters the belief that COVID-19 is spiralling out of control, which in turn, increases worries. Our findings suggest that perceived prevalence of misinformation can have significant psychological effects, even though audience members reject the information as being false.
AB - Data suggests that the majority of citizens in various countries came across ‘fake news’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. We test the relationship between perceived prevalence of misinformation and people’s worries about COVID-19. In Study 1, analyses of a survey across 17 countries indicate a positive association: perceptions of high prevalence of misinformation are correlated with high worries about COVID-19. However, the relationship is weaker in countries with higher levels of case-fatality ratios, and independent from the actual amount of misinformation per country. Study 2 replicates the relationship using experimental data. Furthermore, Study 2 demonstrates the underlying mechanism, that is, perceived prevalence of misinformation fosters the belief that COVID-19 is spiralling out of control, which in turn, increases worries. Our findings suggest that perceived prevalence of misinformation can have significant psychological effects, even though audience members reject the information as being false.
KW - COVID-19
KW - misinformation
KW - trust
KW - worry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142874772&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1369118X.2022.2146983
DO - 10.1080/1369118X.2022.2146983
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AN - SCOPUS:85142874772
SN - 1369-118X
VL - 26
SP - 3135
EP - 3158
JO - Information Communication and Society
JF - Information Communication and Society
IS - 16
ER -