Prebunking interventions based on “inoculation” theory can reduce susceptibility to misinformation across cultures
Published version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Change log
Authors
Roozenbeek, Jon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8150-9305
van der Linden, Sander https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0269-1744
Nygren, T
Abstract
This study finds that the online “fake news” game, Bad News, can confer psychological resistance against common online misinformation strategies across different cultures. The intervention draws on the theory of psychological inoculation: analogous to the process of medical immunization, we find that “prebunking,” or preemptively warning and exposing people to weakened doses of misinformation, can help cultivate “mental antibodies” against fake news. We conclude that social impact games rooted in basic insights from social psychology can boost immunity against misinformation across a variety of cultural, linguistic, and political settings.
Description
Keywords
5203 Clinical and Health Psychology, 52 Psychology, 3 Good Health and Well Being
Journal Title
Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
2766-1652
2766-1652
2766-1652
Volume Title
Publisher
Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics, and Public Policy
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
UK Foreign Office (FCO)