Effects of COVID-19 Misinformation on Information Seeking, Avoidance, and Processing: A Multicountry Comparative Study

Hye Kyung Kim; Jisoo Ahn; Lucy Atkinson; Lee Ann Kahlor

doi:10.1177/1075547020959670

Effects of COVID-19 Misinformation on Information Seeking, Avoidance, and Processing: A Multicountry Comparative Study

Hye Kyung Kim^*, Jisoo Ahn, Lucy Atkinson, Lee Ann Kahlor

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

234 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We examined the implications of exposure to misinformation about COVID-19 in the United States, South Korea, and Singapore in the early stages of the global pandemic. The online survey results showed that misinformation exposure reduced information insufficiency, which subsequently led to greater information avoidance and heuristic processing, as well as less systematic processing of COVID-19 information. Indirect effects differ by country and were stronger in the U.S. sample than in the Singapore sample. This study highlights negative consequences of misinformation during a global pandemic and addresses possible cultural and situational differences in how people interpret and respond to misinformation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	586-615
Number of pages	30
Journal	Science Communication
Volume	42
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547020959670
Publication status	Published - Oct 1 2020
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Sociology and Political Science

Keywords

COVID-19
cross-country comparison
information seeking and processing
misinformation

Access to Document

10.1177/1075547020959670

Cite this

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abstract = "We examined the implications of exposure to misinformation about COVID-19 in the United States, South Korea, and Singapore in the early stages of the global pandemic. The online survey results showed that misinformation exposure reduced information insufficiency, which subsequently led to greater information avoidance and heuristic processing, as well as less systematic processing of COVID-19 information. Indirect effects differ by country and were stronger in the U.S. sample than in the Singapore sample. This study highlights negative consequences of misinformation during a global pandemic and addresses possible cultural and situational differences in how people interpret and respond to misinformation.",

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Effects of COVID-19 Misinformation on Information Seeking, Avoidance, and Processing: A Multicountry Comparative Study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

Access to Document

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Social Media: Misinformation and Content Moderation Issues for Congress.

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Effects of COVID-19 Misinformation on Information Seeking, Avoidance, and Processing: A Multicountry Comparative Study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Press/Media

Social Media: Misinformation and Content Moderation Issues for Congress.

Cite this