Why do people share false information? In this episode, our presenters Ginny Smith and Jon Sutton explore the psychology of misinformation. They hear about the factors that make people more or less likely to share misinformation, discuss strategies to correct false information, and learn how to talk to someone who is promoting conspiracy theories.
Our guests, in order of appearance, are Tom Buchanan, Professor of Psychology at the University of Westminster, and Briony Swire-Thompson, senior research scientist at Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute.
Episode credits: Presented and produced by Ginny Smith, with additional reporting by Jon Sutton. Script edits by Matthew Warren. Mixing and editing by Jeff Knowler. PsychCrunch theme music by Catherine Loveday and Jeff Knowler. Art work by Tim Grimshaw.
Relevant research from our guests includes:
Why do people spread false information online? The effects of message and viewer characteristics on self-reported likelihood of sharing social media disinformation.
Spreading Disinformation on Facebook: Do Trust in Message Source, Risk Propensity, or Personality Affect the Organic Reach of “Fake News”?
Predictors of likelihood of sharing disinformation on social media 2019-2020
Correction format has a limited role when debunking misinformation
Backfire effects after correcting misinformation are strongly associated with reliability
Public Health and Online Misinformation: Challenges and Recommendations
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Ep 37: Talking with patients about sad, bad and difficult things
Ep 36: The secrets of dreams and nightmares
Ep 35: Why do we enjoy playing with fear?
Ep 34: How do you make friends as an adult?
Ep 33: Have you experienced the unseen other?
Ep 32: How to face grief
Ep 31: How to better understand your cat
Ep 30: The psychology of superstitions
Ep 28: Why songs get stuck in our heads
Episode 27: The Psychologist presents… at Latitude Festival 2021 — Child food poverty
Ep 26: How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected our mental health?
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Ep 23: Whose psychology is it anyway? Making psychological research more representative
Ep 22: Drifting Minds — Maladaptive Daydreaming And The Hypnagogic State
Ep 21: How To Stay Connected In The "New Normal"
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