Reinforcing attitudes in a gatewatching news era: Individual-level antecedents to sharing fact-checks on social media |
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| Authors: | Michelle A Amazeen Chris J Vargo Toby Hopp |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relations, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA;2. Department of Advertising, Public Relations, and Media Design, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA |
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| Abstract: | Despite the prevalence of fact-checking, little is known about who posts fact-checks online. Based upon a content analysis of Facebook and Twitter digital trace data and a linked online survey (N?=?783), this study reveals that sharing fact-checks in political conversations on social media is linked to age, ideology, and political behaviors. Moreover, an individual’s need for orientation (NFO) is an even stronger predictor of sharing a fact-check than ideological intensity or relevance, alone, and also influences the type of fact-check format (with or without a rating scale) that is shared. Finally, participants generally shared fact-checks to reinforce their existing attitudes. Consequently, concerns over the effects of fact-checking should move beyond a limited-effects approach (e.g., changing attitudes) to also include reinforcing accurate beliefs. |
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| Keywords: | Fact-checking inoculation theory need for orientation persuasion social media |
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