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Trust or distrust? Neither! The right mindset for confronting disinformation
1The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Current Opinion in Psychology
|December 22, 2023
Summary
Belief in disinformation is often explained by the truth bias. However, distrust can paradoxically increase belief, suggesting evaluative mindsets are key to combating disinformation.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Information Science
- Social Psychology
Background:
- The truth bias, a tendency to accept information as true, is a primary explanation for belief in disinformation.
- This bias is context-dependent, with distrust promoting information rejection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the nuanced roles of trust and distrust in processing disinformation.
- To identify effective mindsets for detecting and refuting disinformation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review examining the psychological underpinnings of disinformation belief.
- Analysis of the interplay between truth bias, distrust, and information acceptance.
Main Results:
- Distrust can act as an antidote to the truth bias but may also paradoxically enhance disinformation belief.
- Neither trust nor distrust alone is sufficient for effectively combating disinformation.
Conclusions:
- An evaluative mindset, focusing on critical assessment rather than mere trust or distrust, is more effective for identifying and refuting disinformation.
- Future research should explore interventions promoting evaluative mindsets to mitigate disinformation's impact.
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