Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior

This study examines whether personality traits predict an individual's perceived accuracy and sharing intention of political misinformation and if cognitive ability further moderates this relationship. An analysis of survey data from the US revealed that individuals with high agreeableness and...

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Main Authors: Ahmed, Saifuddin, Tan, Han Wei
Other Authors: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161904
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author Ahmed, Saifuddin
Tan, Han Wei
author2 Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
author_facet Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Ahmed, Saifuddin
Tan, Han Wei
author_sort Ahmed, Saifuddin
collection NTU
description This study examines whether personality traits predict an individual's perceived accuracy and sharing intention of political misinformation and if cognitive ability further moderates this relationship. An analysis of survey data from the US revealed that individuals with high agreeableness and low extraversion were more likely to discern pro-conservative misinformation correctly. Individuals with high agreeableness and conscientiousness were also less likely to share partisan misinformation. Further, individuals with high cognitive ability were more likely to discern correctly and less likely to share misinformation across the partisan spectrum. Moderation analyses suggest that low cognitive individuals with higher neuroticism and openness are more prone to sharing partisan misinformation. However, high levels of agreeableness can safeguard low cognitive individuals from sharing. We discuss the implications of this work for theorizing misinformation engagement and its effects.
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spelling ntu-10356/1619042022-09-26T01:40:35Z Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior Ahmed, Saifuddin Tan, Han Wei Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Social sciences::Communication Fake News Social Media This study examines whether personality traits predict an individual's perceived accuracy and sharing intention of political misinformation and if cognitive ability further moderates this relationship. An analysis of survey data from the US revealed that individuals with high agreeableness and low extraversion were more likely to discern pro-conservative misinformation correctly. Individuals with high agreeableness and conscientiousness were also less likely to share partisan misinformation. Further, individuals with high cognitive ability were more likely to discern correctly and less likely to share misinformation across the partisan spectrum. Moderation analyses suggest that low cognitive individuals with higher neuroticism and openness are more prone to sharing partisan misinformation. However, high levels of agreeableness can safeguard low cognitive individuals from sharing. We discuss the implications of this work for theorizing misinformation engagement and its effects. 2022-09-26T01:40:35Z 2022-09-26T01:40:35Z 2022 Journal Article Ahmed, S. & Tan, H. W. (2022). Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 196, 111747-. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111747 0191-8869 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161904 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111747 2-s2.0-85131434872 196 111747 en Personality and Individual Differences © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
spellingShingle Social sciences::Communication
Fake News
Social Media
Ahmed, Saifuddin
Tan, Han Wei
Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
title Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
title_full Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
title_fullStr Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
title_full_unstemmed Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
title_short Personality and perspicacity: role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
title_sort personality and perspicacity role of personality traits and cognitive ability in political misinformation discernment and sharing behavior
topic Social sciences::Communication
Fake News
Social Media
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161904
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