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Measuring the effects of misinformation exposure and beliefs on behavioural intentions: a COVID-19 vaccination study.
de Saint Laurent, Constance; Murphy, Gillian; Hegarty, Karen; Greene, Ciara M.
  • de Saint Laurent C; School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Murphy G; School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
  • Hegarty K; School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Greene CM; School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. ciara.greene@ucd.ie.
Cogn Res Princ Implic ; 7(1): 87, 2022 10 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2196537
ABSTRACT
Misinformation has been a pressing issue since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening our ability to effectively act on the crisis. Nevertheless, little is known about the actual effects of fake news on behavioural intentions. Does exposure to or belief in misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines affect people's intentions to receive such a vaccine? This paper attempts to address this question via three preregistered experiments (N = 3463). In Study 1, participants (n = 1269) were exposed to fabricated pro- or anti-vaccine information or to neutral true information, and then asked about their intentions to get vaccinated. In Study 2, participants (n = 646) were exposed to true pro- and anti-vaccine information, while Study 3 (n = 1548) experimentally manipulated beliefs in novel misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines by increasing exposure to the information. The results of these three studies showed that exposure to false information about the vaccines had little effect on participants' intentions to get vaccinated, even when multiple exposures led them to believe the headlines to be more accurate. An exploratory meta-analysis of studies 1 and 3, with a combined sample size of 2683, showed that exposure to false information both supporting and opposing COVID-19 vaccines actually increased vaccination intentions, though the effect size was very small. We conclude by cautioning researchers against equating exposure to misinformation or perceived accuracy of false news with actual behaviours.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Vaccines / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Reviews Topics: Vaccines Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Cogn Res Princ Implic Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S41235-022-00437-y

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Vaccines / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Reviews Topics: Vaccines Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Cogn Res Princ Implic Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S41235-022-00437-y