COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp
Messaging applications are changing the communication landscape in emerging countries. While offering speed and affordability, these solutions have also opened the way for the spread of misinformation. Aiming to better understand the dynamics of COVID-19 as infodemic, we asked Brazilian participants...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Judgment and Decision Making |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S193029750000855X/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797695988964524032 |
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| author | Andressa Bonafé-Pontes Cleno Couto Regis Kakinohana Mariana Travain Luísa Schimidt Ronaldo Pilati |
| author_facet | Andressa Bonafé-Pontes Cleno Couto Regis Kakinohana Mariana Travain Luísa Schimidt Ronaldo Pilati |
| author_sort | Andressa Bonafé-Pontes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Messaging applications are changing the communication landscape in emerging countries. While offering speed and affordability, these solutions have also opened the way for the spread of misinformation. Aiming to better understand the dynamics of COVID-19 as infodemic, we asked Brazilian participants (n=1007) to report the perceived accuracy of 20 messages (10 true and 10 false). Each message was randomly presented within five fictitious WhatsApp group chats of varying political orientation. Correlational analyses revealed that right-wing participants had lower levels of truth discernment as did those with greater trust in social media as a reliable source of coronavirus information. Conversely, open-minded thinking about evidence and trust in the WHO and traditional media was positively associated with truth discernment. Familiarity with the content consistently increased perceived truthness for both true and false messages. Results point to the nefarious effects of COVID-19 politicization and underline the importance of promoting the ability to recognize and value new evidence as well as enhancing trust in international agencies and traditional media. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:20:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7242a43cf3234e369cbda1adfa93095f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-2975 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:20:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Judgment and Decision Making |
| spelling | doaj.art-7242a43cf3234e369cbda1adfa93095f2023-09-03T14:02:50ZengCambridge University PressJudgment and Decision Making1930-29752021-11-01161575159610.1017/S193029750000855XCOVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsAppAndressa Bonafé-Pontes0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6276-993XCleno Couto1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9291-0313Regis Kakinohana2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9337-8990Mariana Travain3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2233-8398Luísa Schimidt4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9554-5377Ronaldo Pilati5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2982-5033Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Instituto Central de Ciências — Ala Sul — Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte — Brasília, DF, Brasil — 70910-900Universidade de BrasíliaUniversidade de BrasíliaUniversidade de BrasíliaUniversidade de BrasíliaUniversidade de BrasíliaMessaging applications are changing the communication landscape in emerging countries. While offering speed and affordability, these solutions have also opened the way for the spread of misinformation. Aiming to better understand the dynamics of COVID-19 as infodemic, we asked Brazilian participants (n=1007) to report the perceived accuracy of 20 messages (10 true and 10 false). Each message was randomly presented within five fictitious WhatsApp group chats of varying political orientation. Correlational analyses revealed that right-wing participants had lower levels of truth discernment as did those with greater trust in social media as a reliable source of coronavirus information. Conversely, open-minded thinking about evidence and trust in the WHO and traditional media was positively associated with truth discernment. Familiarity with the content consistently increased perceived truthness for both true and false messages. Results point to the nefarious effects of COVID-19 politicization and underline the importance of promoting the ability to recognize and value new evidence as well as enhancing trust in international agencies and traditional media.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S193029750000855X/type/journal_articleCOVID-19misinformationWhatsApppolitical orientationopen-minded thinking |
| spellingShingle | Andressa Bonafé-Pontes Cleno Couto Regis Kakinohana Mariana Travain Luísa Schimidt Ronaldo Pilati COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp Judgment and Decision Making COVID-19 misinformation political orientation open-minded thinking |
| title | COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp |
| title_full | COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp |
| title_short | COVID-19 as infodemic: The impact of political orientation and open-mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in WhatsApp |
| title_sort | covid 19 as infodemic the impact of political orientation and open mindedness on the discernment of misinformation in whatsapp |
| topic | COVID-19 misinformation political orientation open-minded thinking |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S193029750000855X/type/journal_article |
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