Assessing Role of Social Media Labels in Countering Misinformation Using Information Processing Perspective: Findings from University of South Carolina
Abstract
In the context of online misinformation, this study integrates Heuristic-Systematic Model (HSM), Elaboration-Likelihood Model (ELM), and Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability (MOA) to investigate the impact of three social media labels on information processing and verification. It adopts experimental design with single manipulation involving undergraduate students. Psychophysiological measures (i.e., dwell time, peaks per minute, and frontal alpha asymmetry) are used along with self-report methods. Findings reveal significant effects of social media label 1 which explicitly flagged misinformation on perceived message credibility, intentions to adopt counter behaviors and information verification, and actual behaviors. The findings were also endorsed by regression analyses using psychophysiological measures as independent variables. It also tested moderation effects of ability and motivation on actual behaviors using moderated serial mediation models (e.g., label → perceived message credibility → intentions to take counter measures and verify information → actual information verification and adoption of counter measures). Findings highlight the potential of labels to enhance information verification behaviors, contingent on users' motivation and ability to process information. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.