Factors Predicting Willingness to Share COVID-19 Misinformation

Lobato, Emilio J. C.; Powell, Maia; Padilla, Lace; Holbrook, Colin

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566108

Cited by 69 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…To our knowledge, until recently, there is only one study on COVID-19 conspiracy theories that included measures of both authoritarianism and social dominance. Results indicated that both variables were positively correlated with belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories (Lobato et al, 2020). Abalakina-Paap et al (1999) proposed five types of reasons of why people believe in conspiracy theories: alienation, powerlessness, simplification of the complex world, explanation of their problems, and providing an opportunity for their hostility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, only a few studies examined general trust in science and scientists as a predictor of acceptance of conspiracy theories. In the context of belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories, research showed that science skepticism was strongly associated with endorsement and willingness to spread COVID-19 conspiracies (Lobato et al, 2020) and that trust in scientists was negatively related to believing in COVID-19 conspiracies (Constantinou et al, 2020). Furthermore, trust in science had a mediating role in the relationship between conspiracy ideation and willingness to accept prevention guidelines (Plohl and Musil, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Who Believes in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories in Croatia? Prevalence and Predictors of Conspiracy Beliefs

et al. 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to numerous new conspiracy theories related to the virus. This study aimed to investigate a range of individual predictors of beliefs in COVID-19 conspiracy theories that account for sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, education, economic standard, the importance of religion, and political self-identification), distinctive motivational orientations (social dominance and authoritarianism), relevant social attitudes (sense of political powerlessness and trust in science and scientists), and perceived personal risk (perceived risk for self and family members, the concern of being infected, and the expected influence of pandemic on the economic standard of an individual). Participants were 1,060 adults recruited from the general public of Croatia. The sample was a probabilistic quota sample with gender, age, level of education, size of the dwelling, and region of the country as predetermined quotas. The regression model explained 42.2% of the individual differences in beliefs in COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Trust in science and scientists and political powerlessness were the strongest predictors, whereas fear of being infected had the weakest contribution in explaining the variance of the criterion. Additionally, results revealed that the relation of conventionalism (as a proxy of authoritarianism) with belief in COVID-19 conspiracies was mediated by trust in science and scientists. The relation between social dominance and belief in conspiracies was also partially mediated by trust in science. The results suggest that (re)building trust in science and lowering the sense of political helplessness might help in fighting potentially harmful false beliefs about the pandemic.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Who Believes in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories in Croatia? Prevalence and Predictors of Conspiracy Beliefs

et al. 2021

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“…For instance, older, politically conservative individuals have been found to be more willing to share misinformation than their younger more liberal counterparts [ 17 ]. Similarly, aspects of political belief including social dominance orientation, has been found to predict the sharing of misinformation [ 18 ]. It was thus of interest in the present study to determine whether predictors of the inclination to share misinformation (or possible misinformation) in our sample are comparable to predictors in general samples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No one is immune to misinformation: An investigation of misinformation sharing by subscribers to a fact-checking newsletter

et al. 2021

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Like other disease outbreaks, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the rapid generation and dissemination of misinformation and fake news. We investigated whether subscribers to a fact checking newsletter (n = 1397) were willing to share possible misinformation, and whether predictors of possible misinformation sharing are the same as for general samples. We also investigated predictors of willingness to have a COVID-19 vaccine and found that although vaccine acceptance was high on average, it decreased as a function of lower belief in science and higher conspiracy mentality. We found that 24% of participants had shared possible misinformation and that this was predicted by a lower belief in science. Like general samples, our participants were typically motivated to share possible misinformation due to interest in the information, or to seek a second opinion about claim veracity. However, even if information is shared in good faith and not for the purpose of deceiving or misleading others, the spread of misinformation is nevertheless highly problematic. Exposure to misinformation engenders faulty beliefs in others and undermines efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19 by reducing adherence to social distancing measures and increasing vaccine hesitancy.

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“…This information requires in-depth understanding, context, or additional explanations to avoid inappropriate conclusions 103 . In a published report, 48% of 8914 Americans surveyed stated that they heard "at least some [COVID- 19-related] made-up news and information" 104 . There are countless examples of false information that has spread across the United States, and there is no one person who is immune to either receiving this information and/or spreading it.…”

Section: Navigating the Infodemic Eramentioning

confidence: 99%

Coronavirus disease 2019: A comprehensive review on recent clinical updates and management tools for pharmacists

Bhargab

Dash²,

Newar

et al. 2021

PBJ

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In the Hubei region of China, a pneumonia outbreak occurred in December 2019, which was confirmed to be caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It quickly became known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 or simply COVID-19, a pandemic that continues to devastate countries across the world. Through this COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists across the globe have continued to offer direct patient care and provided frontline service to society. However, while the frontline staff is heralded, they are relegated to the background and overlooked most of the time. The most reachable healthcare providers are pharmacists because they can provide direct medical services despite tight regulations and restrictions related to the pandemic. During this pandemic, the involvement of pharmacists to handle COVID-19 and its complications proved to be crucial in alleviating the burden on the already strained healthcare system. They have provided very important services such as distributing medications to patients, encouraging adherence to medications for better control of chronic diseases, consulting on minor illnesses, clarifying myths regarding COVID-19, and contributing to COVID-19 screening. The treatment or management of COVID-19 was based on initial findings but is now being updated several times based on viral mutation, different studies across the globe, etc. This review focuses on recent clinical updates and tools that would help pharmacists with a more systematic approach to properly handling COVID-19 and its complications.

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Factors Predicting Willingness to Share COVID-19 Misinformation

Cited by 69 publications

References 29 publications

Who Believes in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories in Croatia? Prevalence and Predictors of Conspiracy Beliefs

Who Believes in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories in Croatia? Prevalence and Predictors of Conspiracy Beliefs

No one is immune to misinformation: An investigation of misinformation sharing by subscribers to a fact-checking newsletter

Coronavirus disease 2019: A comprehensive review on recent clinical updates and management tools for pharmacists

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