Acquiring knowledge: Epistemic trust in the age of fake news

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Tanzer ◽  
Chloe Campbell ◽  
Rob Saunders ◽  
Patrick Luyten ◽  
Thomas Booker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Transmission Of Knowledge ◽  
Epistemic Trust ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Collective Trust ◽  
Conspiracy Thinking

The alarming spread of fake news and the breakdown of collective trust in sources of information is a major ongoing concern. Public mistrust and conspiracy beliefs canchange behaviour in a way that profoundly alters society’s reaction to new information. However, we still lack a broad psychological and socio-evolutionary understanding ofthe transmission of knowledge: the concept of epistemic trust (defined as trust in communicated knowledge) could provide the basis for such an integrated understanding. This study examined the role of epistemic trust in determining individualcapacity to recognise fake and real news, and susceptibility to conspiracy thinking – both in general and in relation to COVID-19. Measuring three different epistemic dispositions – trusting, mistrusting and credulous – in two different studies (study 1 = 705; study 2 = 502), we found that Credulity is associated with inability to discriminate between fake and real news. To explore the developmental factors at work in creating vulnerability to fake news, we investigated the mediating role of Mistrust and Credulity, and found that these factors mediated the relationship between exposure to childhood adversity and the failure to distinguish between fake and real news. Both Mistrust and Credulity were also associated with general and COVID-19 related conspiracy beliefs; similarly, Mistrust and Credulity were associated with vaccine hesitancy, both in general and in relation to COVID-19. Findings illuminate the potential psychological processes at work in generating broad social-political phenomena such as fake news and conspiracy thinking.

scholarly journals Role of Conspiracy Mentality and Paranormal Beliefs in Predicting Conspiracy Beliefs Among Neopagans

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-97
Author(s):  
Asbjørn Dyrendal ◽  
Leif Kennair ◽  
James Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Political Identity ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Political Identification ◽  
Gender And Education ◽  
Paranormal Beliefs ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Conspiracy Thinking

Recent studies on conspiracy thinking has concluded that the strongest predictor of the tendency towards conspiratorial thinking is a one-dimensional construct-conspiracy mentality-that is relatively stable over time and valid across cultures. Lantian et al. (2016) found that a single, elaborate question can work as a measure of conspiracy beliefs. We assess the validity of this question for an untypical, religious group: self-identified Neopagans. We also test some recent findings on the relation between conspiracy thinking and paranormal beliefs, attitudes towards group equality, political identification, age, gender, and education. The general patterns hold up well in our investigation, but there was a clear distinction between conspiracy theories about powerful actors and those about minorities. The single-item measure was the largest predictor of the former kind of conspiracy belief followed by level of paranormal beliefs. Anti-egalitarianism and holding a right-wing political identity were the strongest predictors of conspiracy beliefs about minorities. Education was negatively related to conspiracy beliefs of all kinds.

scholarly journals Conspiracy beliefs and vaccination intent for COVID-19 in an infodemic

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0261559
Author(s):  
Ali Ghaddar ◽  
Sanaa Khandaqji ◽  
Zeinab Awad ◽  
Rawad Kansoun
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
The Social ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Guidelines And Recommendations

Background The massive, free and unrestricted exchange of information on the social media during the Covid-19 pandemic has set fertile grounds for fear, uncertainty and the rise of fake news related to the virus. This “viral” spread of fake news created an “infodemic” that threatened the compliance with public health guidelines and recommendations. Objective This study aims to describe the trust in social media platforms and the exposure to fake news about COVID-19 in Lebanon and to explore their association with vaccination intent. Methods In this cross-sectional study conducted in Lebanon during July–August, 2020, a random sample of 1052 participants selected from a mobile-phone database responded to an anonymous structured questionnaire after obtaining informed consent (response rate = 40%). The questionnaire was conducted by telephone and measured socio-demographics, sources and trust in sources of information and exposure to fake news, social media activity, perceived threat and vaccination intent. Results Results indicated that the majority of participants (82%) believed that COVID-19 is a threat and 52% had intention to vaccinate. Exposure to fake/ unverified news was high (19.7% were often and 63.8% were sometimes exposed, mainly to fake news shared through Watsapp and Facebook). Trust in certain information sources (WHO, MoPH and TV) increased while trust in others (Watsapp, Facebook) reduced vaccination intent against Covid-19. Believing in the man-made theory and the business control theory significantly reduced the likelihood of vaccination intent (Beta = 0.43; p = 0.01 and Beta = -0.29; p = 0.05) respectively. Conclusion In the context of the infodemic, understanding the role of exposure to fake news and of conspiracy believes in shaping healthy behavior is important for increasing vaccination intent and planning adequate response to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Traumatic rift: How conspiracy beliefs undermine cohesion after societal trauma?

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Bilewicz ◽  
Marta Witkowska ◽  
Myrto Pantazi ◽  
Theofilos Gkinopoulos ◽  
Olivier Klein
Keyword(s):  
Military Officers ◽  
Representative Survey ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Airplane Crash ◽  
Internal Conflicts ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Societal Trauma ◽  
Conspiracy Thinking

Collective traumas may often lead to deep societal divides and internal conflicts. In this article, we propose that conspiracy theories emerging in response to victimizing events may play a key role in the breakdown of social cohesion. We performed a nationally representative survey in Poland (N = 965) two years after the Smoleńsk airplane crash in which the Polish president was killed, together with 95 political officials and high-ranking military officers. The survey found that people endorsing conspiratorial accounts of the Smoleńsk catastrophe preferred to distance themselves from conspiracy non-believers, while skeptics preferred greater distance to conspiracy believers. We also examined the role of people’s belief in the uniqueness of in-group historical suffering as an important antecedent of both conspiracy thinking and hostility towards outgroups (conspiracy believers and non-believers).

Michael Kelly, Hilary Footitt, Myriam Salama-Carr (eds.): The Palgrave Handbook of Languages and Conflict

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ľubomír Zvada
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
War And Peace ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
War And Conflict ◽  
Almost All

This Handbook maps the contours of an exciting and burgeoning interdisciplinary field concerned with the role of language and languages in situations of conflict. It explores conceptual approaches, sources of information that are available, and the institutions and actors that mediate language encounters. It examines case studies of the role that languages have played in specific conflicts, from colonial times through to the Middle East and Africa today. The contributors provide vibrant evidence to challenge the monolingual assumptions that have affected traditional views of war and conflict. They show that languages are woven into every aspect of the making of war and peace, and demonstrate how language shapes public policy and military strategy, setting frameworks and expectations. The Handbook's 22 chapters powerfully illustrate how the encounter between languages is integral to almost all conflicts, to every phase of military operations and to the lived experiences of those on the ground, who meet, work and fight with speakers of other languages. This comprehensive work will appeal to scholars from across the disciplines of linguistics, translation studies, history, and international relations; and provide fresh insights for a broad range of practitioners interested in understanding the role and implications of foreign languages in war.

Covid-19 – rumours and facts in media

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 171-174
Author(s):  
Tarare Toshida ◽  
Chaple Jagruti
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Corona Virus ◽  
The People ◽  
The World

The covid-19 resulted in broad range of spread throughout the world in which India has also became a prey of it and in this situation the means of media is extensively inϑluencing the mentality of the people. Media always played a role of loop between society and sources of information. In this epidemic also media is playing a vital role in shaping the reaction in ϑirst place for both good and ill by providing important facts regarding symptoms of Corona virus, preventive measures against the virus and also how to deal with any suspect of disease to overcome covid-19. On the other hand, there are endless people who spread endless rumours overs social media and are adversely affecting life of people but we always count on media because they provide us with valuable answers to our questions, facts and everything in need. Media always remains on top of the line when it comes to stop the out spread of rumours which are surely dangerous kind of information for society. So on our side we should react fairly and maturely to handle the situation to keep it in the favour of humanity and help government not only to ϑight this pandemic but also the info emic.

Foreign Labour Migration, Economic Growth and Remittances in Nepal

Patan Pragya ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-132
Author(s):  
Laxman Singh Kunwer
Keyword(s):  
Working Environment ◽  
Labour Migration ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Pull Factors ◽  
Push And Pull Factors ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Foreign Labour ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Push And Pull

This paper examines the history and current situation of foreign labour migration in Nepal, which is in increasing trend. This paper highlights on some major push and pull factors, impacts of labour migration and remittances. The role and impacts of remittances in Nepal are also another key issue of this paper. The objective of paper is to discuss historical aspects and highlights the role of remittances in Nepal. The paper is developed with the help of secondary sources of information and discussed only on Nepalese foreign labours. The existing exploitative working environment in destinations of Nepalese migrations labpurs, lack of skills and trainings among labour migrants including government to government agreement between labour sending (Nepal) and labour receiving countries to protect rights of labour migrants also has been discussed. This paper also highlights the need of effective foreign labour policies based on scientific research. There is need of reliable and proper environment of investment of remittances in productive sectors as well as use of migrant's skills and knowledge to achieve prosperity of nation.

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document