Can Nudges Reduce Misinformation Sharing Online?
Author Information
Author(s): Moore Ryan, Chu Li, Hancock Jeffrey, Carstensen Laura
Primary Institution: Stanford University
Hypothesis
Emotionally meaningful nudges will be more likely to reduce older adults’ sharing of misinformation.
Conclusion
The study found that novel nudges were more effective than non-novel nudges at reducing intentions to share misinformation across all ages.
Supporting Evidence
- Older adults were less likely to report intentions to share misinformation online than younger adults.
- Novel nudges were more effective than non-novel nudges at reducing intentions to share misinformation across all ages.
- Emotionally meaningful nudges were not more effective for older adults.
Takeaway
The study tested if simple messages could help people, especially older adults, stop sharing false information online, and found that new types of messages worked better.
Methodology
Participants were shown online news headlines fact-checked as true or false and asked about their intentions to share each headline, with nudges presented alongside.
Participant Demographics
A lifespan sample of American adults aged 18-99, with a mean age of 49.1 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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