scholarly journals The role of analytical reasoning and source credibility on the evaluation of real and fake full-length news articles

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Didem Pehlivanoglu ◽  
Tian Lin ◽  
Farha Deceus ◽  
Amber Heemskerk ◽  
Natalie C. Ebner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Source Credibility ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Full Length ◽  
News Story ◽  
Detection Accuracy ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
Analytical Reasoning ◽  
News Source

Abstract Aim Previous research has focused on accuracy associated with real and fake news presented in the form of news headlines only, which does not capture the rich context news is frequently encountered in real life. Additionally, while previous studies on evaluation of real and fake news have mostly focused on characteristics of the evaluator (i.e., analytical reasoning), characteristics of the news stimuli (i.e., news source credibility) and the interplay between the two have been largely ignored. To address these research gaps, this project examined the role of analytical reasoning and news source credibility on evaluation of real and fake full-length news story articles. The project considered both accuracy and perceived credibility ratings as outcome variables, thus qualifying previous work focused solely on news detection accuracy. Method We conducted two independent but parallel studies, with Study 2 as a direct replication of Study 1, employing the same design but in a larger sample (Study 1: N = 292 vs. Study 2: N = 357). In both studies, participants viewed 12 full-length news articles (6 real, 6 fake), followed by prompts to evaluate each article’s veracity and credibility. Participants were randomly assigned to view articles with a credible or non-credible source and completed the Cognitive Reflection Test as well as short demographic questions. Findings Consistent across both studies, higher analytical reasoning was associated with greater fake news accuracy, while analytical reasoning was not associated with real news accuracy. In addition, in both studies, higher analytical reasoning was associated with lower perceived credibility for fake news, while analytical reasoning was not associated with perceived credibility for real news. Furthermore, lower analytical reasoning was associated with greater accuracy for real (but not fake) news from credible compared to non-credible sources, with this effect only detected in Study 2. Conclusions The novel results generated in this research are discussed in light of classical vs. naturalistic accounts of decision-making as well as cognitive processes underlying news articles evaluation. The results extend previous findings that analytical reasoning contributes to fake news detection to full-length news articles. Furthermore, news-related cues such as the credibility of the news source systematically affected discrimination ability between real and fake news.

scholarly journals The Role of Analytical Reasoning and Source Credibility on the Evaluation of Real and Fake Full-Length News Articles

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didem Pehlivanoglu ◽  
Tian Lin ◽  
Farha Deceus ◽  
Amber Heemskerk ◽  
Natalie Ebner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Source Credibility ◽  
Full Length ◽  
News Story ◽  
Detection Accuracy ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
Analytical Reasoning ◽  
News Source ◽  
The Impact

Aim: Previous research has focused on accuracy associated with real and fake news presented in the form of news headlines only which does not capture the rich context news is frequently encountered in real life. Additionally, while the impact of analytical reasoning on news evaluation accuracy has commonly been examined, the impact of news source credibility on real and fake news detection is understudied. To address these research gaps, this project examined the role of analytical reasoning and news source credibility on evaluation of real and fake full-length news story articles. The project considered both accuracy and perceived credibility ratings as outcome variables, thus qualifying previous work focused solely on news detection accuracy. Method: We conducted two independent but parallel studies, with Study 2 as a direct replication of Study 1, employing the same design but in a larger sample (Study 1: N = 292 vs. Study 2: N = 357). In both studies, participants viewed 12 full-length news articles (6 real, 6 fake), followed by prompts to evaluate each article’s veracity and credibility. Participants were randomly assigned to view articles with a credible or non-credible source and completed the Cognitive Reflection Test as well as short demographic questions.Findings: Consistent in both studies, higher analytical reasoning was associated with greater fake news accuracy, while analytical reasoning was not associated with real news accuracy. In addition, in both studies, higher analytical reasoning was associated with lower perceived credibility for fake news, while analytical reasoning was not associated with perceived credibility for real news. Furthermore, lower analytical reasoning was associated with greater accuracy for real (but not fake) news from credible compared to non-credible sources, with this effect only detected in Study 2. Conclusions: The novel findings generated in this research are discussed in light of classical vs. naturalistic accounts of decision-making as well as cognitive processes underlying news articles evaluation. The results extend previous findings that analytical reasoning contributes to fake news detection to full-length news articles. Furthermore, news-related cues such as the credibility of the source systematically affected discrimination ability between real and fake news.

scholarly journals Perceived truth of statements and simulated social media postings: an experimental investigation of source credibility, repeated exposure, and presentation format

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Nadarevic ◽  
Rolf Reber ◽  
Anne Josephine Helmecke ◽  
Dilara Köse
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Repeated Exposure ◽  
Presentation Format ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Additive Effects ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Source Information ◽  
Internet Age

Abstract To better understand the spread of fake news in the Internet age, it is important to uncover the variables that influence the perceived truth of information. Although previous research identified several reliable predictors of truth judgments—such as source credibility, repeated information exposure, and presentation format—little is known about their simultaneous effects. In a series of four experiments, we investigated how the abovementioned factors jointly affect the perceived truth of statements (Experiments 1 and 2) and simulated social media postings (Experiments 3 and 4). Experiment 1 explored the role of source credibility (high vs. low vs. no source information) and presentation format (with vs. without a picture). In Experiments 2 and 3, we additionally manipulated repeated exposure (yes vs. no). Finally, Experiment 4 examined the role of source credibility (high vs. low) and type of repetition (congruent vs. incongruent vs. no repetition) in further detail. In sum, we found no effect of presentation format on truth judgments, but strong, additive effects of source credibility and repetition. Truth judgments were higher for information presented by credible sources than non-credible sources and information without sources. Moreover, congruent (i.e., verbatim) repetition increased perceived truth whereas semantically incongruent repetition decreased perceived truth, irrespectively of the source. Our findings show that people do not rely on a single judgment cue when evaluating a statement’s truth but take source credibility and their meta-cognitive feelings into account.

scholarly journals How Can Psychological Science Help Counter the Spread of Fake News?

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sander van der Linden ◽  
Jon Roozenbeek ◽  
Rakoen Maertens ◽  
Melisa Basol ◽  
Ondřej Kácha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Intervention Effectiveness ◽  
Motivated Cognition ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
The Individual

Abstract In recent years, interest in the psychology of fake news has rapidly increased. We outline the various interventions within psychological science aimed at countering the spread of fake news and misinformation online, focusing primarily on corrective (debunking) and pre-emptive (prebunking) approaches. We also offer a research agenda of open questions within the field of psychological science that relate to how and why fake news spreads and how best to counter it: the longevity of intervention effectiveness; the role of sources and source credibility; whether the sharing of fake news is best explained by the motivated cognition or the inattention accounts; and the complexities of developing psychometrically validated instruments to measure how interventions affect susceptibility to fake news at the individual level.

We Only Believe in News That We Doctored Ourselves

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Faragó ◽  
Anna Kende ◽  
Péter Krekó
Keyword(s):  
Political Orientation ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Representative Survey ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Political Propaganda ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
Political Bias

Abstract. In this research we aimed to explore the importance of partisanship behind the belief in wish-fulfilling political fake news. We tested the role of political orientation, partisanship, and conspiracy mentality in the acceptance of pro- and anti-government pipedream fake news. Using a representative survey ( N = 1,000) and a student sample ( N = 382) in Hungary, we found that partisanship predicted belief in political fake news more strongly than conspiracy mentality, and these connections were mediated by the perceived credibility of source (independent journalism vs. political propaganda) and economic sentiment. Our findings suggest that political bias can be more important in predicting acceptance of pipedream political fake news than conspiracy mentality.

scholarly journals Fake News Detection in Aging During the Era of Infodemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 976-977
Author(s):  
Didem Pehlivanoglu ◽  
Tian Lin ◽  
Kevin Chi ◽  
Eliany Perez ◽  
Rebecca Polk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Detection Accuracy ◽  
Fake News ◽  
News Content ◽  
News Consumption ◽  
Analytical Reasoning ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Consumption Frequency ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Analytic Reasoning

Abstract Increasing misinformation spread, including news about COVID-19, poses a threat to older adults but there is little empirical research on this population within the fake news literature. Embedded in the Changes in Integration for Social Decisions in Aging (CISDA) model, this study examined the role of (i) analytical reasoning; (ii) affect; and (iii) news consumption frequency, and their interplay with (iv) news content, in determining fake news detection in aging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Young (age range 18-35 years, M = 20.24, SD = 1.88) and older (age range 61-87 years, M = 70.51, SD = 5.88) adults were randomly assigned to view COVID or non-COVID news articles, followed by measures of analytical reasoning, affect, and news consumption frequency. Comparable across young and older adults, fake news detection accuracy was higher for news unrelated to COVID, and non-COVID fake news detection was predicted by individual differences in analytic reasoning. Examination of chronological age effects further revealed that detection of fake news among older adults aged over 70 years depended on interactions between individual CISDA components and news content. Collectively, these findings suggest that age-related susceptibility to fake news may only be apparent in later stages of older adulthood, but vulnerabilities are context dependent. Our findings advance understanding of psychological mechanisms in fake news evaluation and empirically support CISDA in its application to fake news detection in aging.

scholarly journals News veracity detection among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of analytical reasoning, mood, news consumption, and news content

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didem Pehlivanoglu ◽  
Tian Lin ◽  
Kevin Chi ◽  
Eliany Perez ◽  
Rebecca Polk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Fake News ◽  
News Content ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
News Consumption ◽  
Analytical Reasoning ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Decision Making Processes

Increasing misinformation spread, including related to COVID-19, is concerning and poses a particular threat to older adults given their enhanced subjective risk perception, disease-related risk, and impaired decision making. To date, psychological factors contributing to news veracity detection in aging are not well understood. This study determined the role of (i) analytical reasoning; (ii) mood; and (iii) news consumption on real and fake news detection among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic; and examined (iv) the extent to which news content moderated these associations. Participants were randomly assigned to view either COVID-related (N = 119) or non-COVID (N = 123) news articles, followed by analytical reasoning, mood, and news consumption measures. Accuracy for non-COVID fake news was higher than accuracy for non-COVID real news; with this effect not present for COVID-related news. Further, higher analytical reasoning (but not mood or media consumption) was associated with greater non-COVID fake news accuracy, while accuracy for non-COVID real news, or COVID-related real and fake news, did not vary by analytical reasoning ability. Uniquely extending previous work into aging, the novel findings generated here are discussed in the context of psychological mechanisms underlying news veracity detection and related decision-making processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Whom to Believe? Understanding and Modeling Brain Activity in Source Credibility Evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Kawiak ◽  
Grzegorz M. Wojcik ◽  
Piotr Schneider ◽  
Lukasz Kwasniewicz ◽  
Adam Wierzbicki
Keyword(s):  
Cross Validation ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
News Source ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Human Source ◽  
Fold Cross Validation ◽  
Negative Source

Understanding how humans evaluate credibility is an important scientific question in the era of fake news. Source credibility is among the most important aspects of credibility evaluations. One of the most direct ways to understand source credibility is to use measurements of brain activity of humans performing credibility evaluations. Nevertheless, source credibility has never been investigated using such a method before. This article reports the results of an experiment during which we have measured brain activity during source credibility evaluation, using EEG. The experiment allowed for identification of brain areas that were active when a participant made positive or negative source credibility evaluations. Based on experimental data, we modeled and predicted human source credibility evaluations using EEG brain activity measurements with F1 score exceeding 0.7 (using 10-fold cross-validation).

Information Source Credibility and Job Seekers’ Intention to Apply: The Mediating Role of Brands

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 743-762
Author(s):  
Shiksha Gupta ◽  
Gordhan K. Saini
Keyword(s):  
Information Sources ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Corporate Communication ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Customer Reviews ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Perceived Credibility ◽  
Employer Brand ◽  
The Relationship

In this article, we first examine the role of perceived credibility of three information sources—customer reviews, employee testimonials and corporate communication in influencing a job seeker’s intention to apply; second, we examine the mediating role of three brand application levels (i.e., product brand, employer brand and corporate brand) between the perceived credibility of information sources and a job seeker’s intention to apply. Using a standard questionnaire, data from 385 respondents were collected and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results show that for intention to apply, the perceived credibility of employee testimonials and corporate communication was higher than the perceived credibility of customer reviews. The employer brand ‘fully’ mediates the relationship between the perceived credibility of employee testimonials and intention to apply, while the corporate brand ‘partially’ mediates the relationship between the perceived credibility of corporate communication and intention to apply. Human resource (HR) managers may thereby use employee testimonials for attracting a greater number of applications, and such recruitment communications can be complemented by corporate communication for recruitment effectiveness. Organizations looking to improve their employer brand may focus on using employee testimonials and corporate communication as their principle branding activities. This study contributes to literature related to boundary spanning benefits of strong brands.

Does fake news lead to more engaging effects on social media? Evidence from Romania

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (s1) ◽  
pp. 694-717
Author(s):  
Nicoleta Corbu ◽  
Alina Bârgăoanu ◽  
Raluca Buturoiu ◽  
Oana Ștefăniță
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
News Story ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Negative Valence ◽  
The Government ◽  
Moderating Role

AbstractThis study examines the potential of fake news to produce effects on social media engagement as well as the moderating role of education and government approval. We report on a 2x2x2 online experiment conducted in Romania (N=813), in which we manipulated the level of facticity of a news story, its valence, and intention to deceive. Results show that ideologically driven news with a negative valence (rather than fabricated news or other genres, such as satire and parody) have a greater virality potential. However, neither the level of education nor government approval moderate this effect. Additionally, both positive and negative ideologically driven news stories enhance the probability that people will sign a document to support the government (i. e., potential for political engagement on social media). These latter effects are moderated by government approval: Lower levels of government approval lead to less support for the government on social media, as a consequence of fake news exposure.

scholarly journals The Role of Source Credibility and Message Credibility in Fake News Engagement. Perspectives from an Experimental Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3 (41)) ◽  
pp. 42-62
Author(s):  
Diana NEDELCU ◽  
◽  
Delia Cristina BLABAN ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Fake News ◽  
False Information ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Financial Benefits ◽  
Media Reputation ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Effects Of Media

Nowadays controversial stories, conspiracy theories, or false information are massively shared on social media. Fake news is supported by the online environment because it generates traffic and financial benefits (Tandoc et al., 2018). It is a chain — users share the news on their feed, then they receive the same type of content, later on, creating the illusion of veracity through popularity. Media credibility becomes more and more relevant in the context of the proliferation of fake news. The present paper addresses the mediating role of source and message credibility in relationship with the engagement with ‘poor journalistic’ content. We aimed to identify the effects of media reputation and of the facticity of the news on (digital) behavior such as the intent to disseminate or to comment on fake news on social media and also on discussing these contents with friends. For this purpose, we applied a 2x2 between subjects online experiment by manipulating the (1) the source (high vs. low reputation online media outlets) and (2) information facticity (high vs. low). Participants (N=177), aged 18 to 53 years were selected via Facebook and the study was carried out in February 2020. The results of our research are in line with previous literature that underlined the role of source and message credibility in influencing online and offline news engagement. We observed that source credibility has an impact on news sharing on Facebook and that message credibility encourages discussion with friends. This applies to both veridical and false information. The most important takeaway of our study is perhaps that users are aware that high reputation media outlets can make mistakes. Besides, media reputation is subject to change and is related to the audiences.

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