Friday 24 July 17:15
- 18:45
Hall: 03 - Volta
Chair and Presenter:
D'Errico Francesca
Division: Division 1: Work and Organizational Psychology
Misinformation is a pressing global challenge with profound psychological and social implications.
Understanding how individuals process, believe, and share misinformation, as well as identifying effective
countermeasures, is essential to mitigating its harmful effects. This symposium brings together diverse,
evidence-based approaches to address the psychological mechanisms underpinning misinformation and
the interventions designed to combat it. The contributions presented offer novel insights into adolescent
education, higher education instructional interventions, artificial intelligence's role, moral disengagement,
and the efficacy of misinformation interventions.
Faragò et al. (Eötvös Loránd University) explore how adolescents can be socialized to become more
vigilant in spotting fake news. Through a large-scale randomized controlled trial (N=1,476), they
implemented a scalable online intervention leveraging prosocial family values and expert role assignment.
The results highlight the importance of cognitive motivation in sustaining long-term misinformation
resistance.
Marcos-Vílchez at al. (Universidad Loyola Andalucía) presents an evidence-based instructional intervention
designed to strengthen critical thinking skills and reduce vulnerability to disinformation in higher education.
Using a quasi-experimental design, the study compares different teaching methodologies to determine the most effective strategies for enhancing students' resilience against misinformation.
Capraro (University of Milano Bicocca) addresses misinformation in the age of AI, evaluating existing
strategies and the urgent need for innovative solutions. As AI-generated misinformation becomes
increasingly sophisticated, this contribution examines current gaps in misinformation research and potential
pathways for more effective intervention approaches.
Paciello, Corbelli, Sportelli, Cicirelli, and D'Errico (University of Uninettuno, Sapienza and University of
Bari) investigate the role of moral disengagement in misinformation sharing among adolescents. Their
study demonstrates the effectiveness of a virtual prosocial agent in reducing reliance on moral
disengagement and encouraging prosocial communicative strategies, ultimately decreasing the likelihood
of spreading misleading information.
Sacha Altay (University of Zurich) critically examines the effectiveness of misinformation interventions,
assessing their real-world applicability and impact. By synthesizing findings from various approaches, this
work aims to inform future strategies to counter misinformation effectively.
Togetherthese studieshighlighttheneedformultifacetedinterventionsthatintegratepsychological
insights,educationalstrategies,andtechnologicaladvancementstoaddressmisinformation.This
symposiumwillprovideacomprehensiveperspectiveonthe psycho-social aspects of misinformation and
offer evidence-based recommendations for future research and policy development.
