Effects of COVID-19 Misinformation on Information Seeking, Avoidance, and Processing: A Multicountry Comparative Study. Issue 5 (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Hye Kyung; Ahn, Jisoo; Atkinson, Lucy; Kahlor, Lee Ann
• Other Names: Myrick Jessica G. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Science communication. Volume 42:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 586
• Page End: 615
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- cross-country comparison -- information seeking and processing -- misinformation; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Knowledge, Sociology of -- Periodicals; Communication in science -- Periodicals; Communication of technical information -- Periodicals; Communication in medicine -- Periodicals; Information scientifique -- Périodiques; Information technique -- Périodiques; Communication en sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Communication en médecine -- Périodiques; 300.14
• DOI: 10.1177/1075547020959670
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1075-5470

Abstract

We examined the implications of exposure to misinformation about COVID-19 in the United States, South Korea, and Singapore in the early stages of the global pandemic. The online survey results showed that misinformation exposure reduced information insufficiency, which subsequently led to greater information avoidance and heuristic processing, as well as less systematic processing of COVID-19 information. Indirect effects differ by country and were stronger in the U.S. sample than in the Singapore sample. This study highlights negative consequences of misinformation during a global pandemic and addresses possible cultural and situational differences in how people interpret and respond to misinformation.