Journal article
Online political engagement, cognitive skills and engagement with misinformation: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States
Online information review, Vol.47(5), pp.989-1008
08/29/2023
DOI: 10.1108/OIR-11-2021-0634
Abstract
Purpose Informational use of social media facilitates political engagement. Yet, there is also evidence of the perils of frequent political engagement in misinformation propagation. This study aims to examine the association between online political engagement, perceived exposure to misinformation, individuals' cognitive characteristics and misinformation sharing.Design/methodology/approach In this paper, online surveys were conducted in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa (Study 1) and the United States (Study 2). Findings Study 1 finds that online political engagement is positively associated with perceived exposure to and sharing of misinformation. Mediation analyses suggest that the relationship between online political engagement and misinformation sharing is mediated by perceived exposure to misinformation. Further, the likelihood of sharing misinformation is found to increase at higher levels of online political engagement, but those with low need for cognition (NFC) are more vulnerable to such sharing. Study 2 explores cognitive ability in place of NFC. The results follow similar patterns as Study 1 - online political engagement is linked to misinformation sharing via higher perceived exposure to misinformation. The authors also find that the tendency to share misinformation increases with frequent exposure to misinformation but those with lower cognitive ability are more prone to such sharing. Originality/value In both contexts, the data show that perceived exposure to misinformation mediates the relationship between online political engagement and misinformation sharing and those with low NFC and cognitive ability are more vulnerable. Overall, the findings offer insight into the mechanisms of political engagement and sharing misinformation.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Online political engagement, cognitive skills and engagement with misinformation: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States
- Creators
- Saifuddin Ahmed - Nanyang Technol Univ, Wee Kim Wee Sch Commun & Informat, Singapore, SingaporeDani Madrid-Morales - University of SheffieldMelissa Tully - Univ Iowa, Sch Journalism & Mass Commun, Iowa City, IA USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Online information review, Vol.47(5), pp.989-1008
- DOI
- 10.1108/OIR-11-2021-0634
- ISSN
- 1468-4527
- eISSN
- 1468-4535
- Publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing
- Number of pages
- 20
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 11/29/2022
- Date published
- 08/29/2023
- Academic Unit
- Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive); School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Record Identifier
- 9984332737202771
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