Disentangling the Effect of Confirmation Bias and Media Literacy on Social Media Users' Susceptibility to Fake News

Abstract

This study explores the effects of confirmation bias, media literacy, and cognitive abilities on social media users' fake news susceptibility. The objective is to disentangle the complex relationships among these factors to understand the underlying mechanisms contributing to the spread of misinformation. Data collection involved an online questionnaire distributed on diverse social media platforms using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling. A total of 500 participants from urban cities in India completed the survey, providing a robust sample for subsequent data analysis. SEM was employed to test the research hypothesis. Findings reveal a significant negative relationship between confirmation bias and susceptibility to fake news, while media literacy demonstrates a significant positive relationship. Cognitive abilities, however, show no significant relationship with susceptibility to fake news. This research paper contributes to the field of media studies by disentangling the effects of confirmation bias and media literacy on social media users' susceptibility to fake news. The findings provide insights into the underlying mechanisms influencing the spread of misinformation and highlight the significance of promoting media literacy and addressing confirmation bias in combating fake news.