Individual predictors of COVID-19 disinformation detection and sharing via WhatsApp

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21678/apuntes.96.1985

Keywords:

desinformación, ideología política, cognición, evaluación, difusión, COVID-19

Abstract

This study examines cognitive, socio-political, and socio-demographic predictors of the evaluation and willingness to share disinformation about COVID-19 via WhatsApp. Using an online survey, a convenience sample of 553 Costa Rican adults were exposed to disinformation about vaccines and the state’s response to the pandemic. Results show that people who support authoritarian, conservative and pro-state ideologies, and those with low reflective thinking, were more likely to believe and share disinformation. Moreover, among people with low reflective thinking, older people were more likely to detect disinformation. Finally, highly religious individuals and younger conservatives with lower education expressed more willingness to share disinformation.

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Author Biographies

  • Carlos Brenes Peralta, University of Costa Rica

    Education: Licentiate Psychology, University of Costa Rica; Master´s Social Research, VU University Amsterdam (Netherlands); PhD Political Communication, University of Amsterdam

    Research interests: social psychology of the uses and effects of information and communication technologies, selective exposure and processing of news, public opinion, disinformation and fake news.

  • Rolando Pérez Sánchez, University of Costa Rica

    Education: Licentiate Psychology, University of Costa Rica; PhD Sociology of Communication, University of Frankfurt (Germany)

    Research interests: social psychology of the uses and effects of information and communication technologies, socio-cognitive and affective processes associated with social media use.

  • Ignacio Siles, University of Costa Rica

    Education: Bachelor´s Communication, University of Costa Rica; Master´s Communication, Université de Montréal (Canada), PhD Media, Technology and Society, Northwestern University (United States)

    Research interests: communication, technology and society; critical studies of Big Data and algorithms.

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Published

2024-01-31

Issue

Vol. 51 No. 96 (2024): Apuntes 96

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Carlos Brenes Peralta, Dr., Rolando Pérez Sánchez, Dr., Ignacio Siles, Dr.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

Brenes Peralta, C., Pérez Sánchez, R., & Siles, I. (2024). Individual predictors of COVID-19 disinformation detection and sharing via WhatsApp. Apuntes. Social Sciences Journal, 51(96). https://doi.org/10.21678/apuntes.96.1985