Abstract

We examined how age and exposure to different types of COVID-19 (mis)information affect misinformation beliefs, perceived credibility of the message and intention-to-share it on WhatsApp. Through two mixed-design online experiments in the UK and Brazil (total N = 1454) we first randomly exposed adult WhatsApp users to full misinformation, partial misinformation, or full truth about the therapeutic powers of garlic to cure COVID-19. We then exposed all participants to corrective information from the World Health Organisation debunking this claim. We found stronger misinformation beliefs among younger adults (18–54) in both the UK and Brazil and possible backfire effects of corrective information among older adults (55+) in the UK. Corrective information from the WHO was effective in enhancing perceived credibility and intention-to-share of accurate information across all groups in both countries. Our findings call for evidence-based infodemic interventions by health agencies, with greater engagement of younger adults in pandemic misinformation management efforts.

Details

Title
How shades of truth and age affect responses to COVID-19 (Mis)information: randomized survey experiment among WhatsApp users in UK and Brazil
Author
Vijaykumar, Santosh 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jin, Yan 2 ; Rogerson, Daniel 1 ; Lu, Xuerong 2 ; Sharma, Swati 3 ; Maughan, Anna 1 ; Fadel, Bianca 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; de Oliveira Costa, Mariella Silva 4 ; Pagliari, Claudia 5 ; Morris, Daniel 6 

1  Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (GRID:grid.42629.3b) (ISNI:0000000121965555) 
2  University of Georgia, Athens, USA (GRID:grid.213876.9) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 738X) 
3  Independent Designer, Bengaluru, India (GRID:grid.213876.9) 
4  Fiocruz Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil (GRID:grid.42629.3b) 
5  University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK (GRID:grid.4305.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 7988) 
6  Independent Researcher, Portland, USA (GRID:grid.4305.2) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
Dec 2021
Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan
e-ISSN
2662-9992
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00752-7
ProQuest document ID
2683036453
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.