Joya Saxena, Staff Writer
Have you ever wondered what causes misinformation to spread online? Have you ever accidentally shared information online that is misleading or false? What did you learn from this experience? Here is some information on the root cause of misinformation at the individual level and what you can do about it.
Existing literature suggests that contrary to popular belief, partisanship is not the primary explanation for individual gullibility to misinformation online. “The Psychology of Fake News” by Trends in Cognitive Science shows a wide gap between people’s beliefs and what they share on social media. Misinformation can be attributed to carelessness and inattention to nuance and detail, rather than purposeful sharing of misinformation. This inattention is rooted in poor truth discernment; in other words, need for more deliberation and careful reasoning. One is more likely to believe false news content if they are not already in the habit of reflecting and asking questions to understand what’s in front of them. Additionally, our brains are wired to use heuristics or mental shortcuts when judging news headlines. We want to simplify every single problem we come across and avoid cognitive overload. Heuristics fail to take into account the nuances and complexities of an issue, especially when the issue is loaded with context.
Another trend in misinformation is that we tend to take something someone writes and publishes at face value if we deem the person credible. We tend to think that if someone is known to be credible and speak the truth, we fall for everything they say. This is magnified when the person has a strong influence on the topic discussed. If they are well-known and highly respected, we think they can do no wrong. This is known as the use of elite messaging in source heuristics. We rely on familiarity rather than critical thinking, which further creates the likelihood of spreading misinformation online. Furthermore, if a narrative or rumor is already commonly held, people are more likely to believe it because they have “heard it so many times from so many people.” This is known as the illusory truth effect. If there is prior exposure to a rumor, allegation, or headline, people are more likely to believe something than if a narrative is not a commonly held or familiar belief. Commonly held and familiar beliefs are not the same as accurate beliefs. However, our brains are wired to believe something is true if “everybody” is saying it and/or writing it.
Finally, a salient feature of misinformation is emotional evocation and delivery. Headlines gain traction the more they strike a chord with people’s emotions. Certain headlines are meant to shock people and get them worked up about a particular topic. This transcends any political boundaries. We are all guilty of being morally outraged about a topic after reading a publication with an exaggerated headline and a lack of context in the rest of the article. We often forget that social media has democratized journalism to such an extent that anyone can share their thoughts on any given topic. More often than not, those who “go viral” are ordinary people who share something on social media that strikes a major chord with an audience that has an emotional connection to an issue. This is known as the attention economy. Likes, clicks, and comments allow people to gain monetary revenue for their content. People profit off of an audience’s emotions and moral outrage. This is very dangerous to society as a whole as it erodes trust in more traditional media and the expertise of certain people, such as physicians and educators.
However, you can be a part of preventing this! Evaluating misinformation is all about scrutiny, curiosity, and reflection. Here are some important factors to consider when evaluating misinformation.
First, identify the source. Do you recognize it? Is it a personal blog? Who funds it? Is it a government agency or a private donor?
Then, verify the author. Are they a scholar? Where do they work? What are their motives? Asking yourself these questions helps to filter bots and AI-generated sources.
Make sure you check the date too. Old news stories may be outdated and irrelevant. Find a newer source and compare the information.
Next, read beyond the headline! Don’t believe something until you read the entire publication or else you will believe a misleading headline, which is giving the organization clickbait.
As you read the article, watch the tone. Does the information seem too outlandish? If so, it may be satire (the Onion is notorious for satirical articles).
What do other sources say? Do other sources confirm or challenge your findings? If you read one source, find other sources and search far and wide for evidence.
Finally, consider your biases. How are your beliefs shaping your interpretation of the source? Before you share anything online, pause and reflect on all these things to prevent misinformation from gaining traction.
To read more about this: read “The Psychology of Fake News” by Trends in Cognitive Science.
Featured Image Credit: Penn Today
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