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Reading an outstanding paper on misinformation atm by @STWorg et al. Really relevant now with #covid the Q cult, Brexit and esp Trump. Here are some findings in the paper that made me gasp.
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Worldview makes info sticky. You're much more likely to believe misinfo if it fits your belief system, and a correction of misinfo is unlikely to make much difference to what you remember. Pay attention to what you believe. Is it feels easy, maybe you should check your biases.
Sometimes correcting misinfo can backfire, making it even less resistant to change. If Trump says "voter fraud", saying "no voter fraud" is making it worse. Use different words. Repeat the truth in a different narrative while at the same time as correcting the myth.
Sometimes misinfo or corrections can *further* polarise attitudes about the same subject. When religious vs non religious people were exposed to a fictitious debunking of the resurrection, belief increased in the religious while non religious became more skeptical.
Sometimes world-view based rejection of fact happens even if educated! Educated Republicans have been shown as more likely to believe birtherism and climate change as hoax, with Dems the opposite. Even more powerful when the misinfo source is seen as having the same beliefs.
Corrections must happen before misinfo is spread further to be most effective. Pre exposure warnings and invitations to be skeptical are better than post misinfo fact checks or warnings (hello @jack ) Work hard to fill the gaps when misinfo is debunked.
Myth busting may need to be approached in a way that validates the worldview of the believer, especially working on identity and self-esteem, esp when highly invested in misinfo which resonates strongly with a worldview. Use authorities that align well with polarized groups.
More work needed on role of emotion (misinfo can stick even if non-emotional), individual differences (gender culture race) but esp social networks (emotional misinfo shared more). Sometimes distinguishing what is misinfo is hard - facts, opinion, consensus - things get blurry.
Nudging behaviour without attempting to force worldview change is promising & may be only effective tactic. Also transparent "choice architecture" can help (organ donation opt in 15-20% vs opt out = 90%! Made me think of compulsory voting here in Oz vs the US debacle.)
You can find the paper here and I would recommend reading it, especially if you have victims of misinfo in your life or if you would like to improve how you think about your own beliefs. (end) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1529100612451018
(end) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1529100612451018
