From Believing to Sharing: Examining the Effects of Partisan Media’s Correction of COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation

Authors

  • Shuning Lu North Dakota State University
  • Lingzi Zhong University of Utah

Keywords:

social identity theory, politeness theory, message credibility, news engagement, misinformation correction, COVID-19

Abstract

Drawing on social identity theory and politeness theory, this study tested the effects of partisan media’s correction of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation on individuals’ message credibility perceptions and news engagement intentions. Based on a between-subjects online experiment in the United States, we found that partisans exposed to ingroup media perceived corrective messages as more credible (marginally) and held higher news engagement intentions than those exposed to outgroup media; nonpartisans rated corrective messages on partisan media as less credible and were less likely to engage than partisans. It also revealed that message credibility mediated the effects of exposure condition on news engagement intentions. Further, the results show that types of risk quantifiers moderated the direct effects of exposure condition on message credibility perceptions and the indirect effects on news engagement intentions via message credibility perceptions. We discuss the findings in light of how news media could combat misinformation in a polarized society.

Author Biographies

Shuning Lu, North Dakota State University

Shuning Lu (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is an assistant professor at the Department of Communication, North Dakota State University. Her research interests include incivility, news engagement, and political participation in the digital media environment. She has published research on New Media & Society, Digital Journalism, and Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, among others. Tel: (701) 231-5266  

Lingzi Zhong, University of Utah

Lingzi Zhong (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Population Health Sciences at University of Utah. Her research mainly focuses on uncertainty management, risk perceptions, social support, and message features in healthcare and relationship contexts. She has published research in journals such as Health Communication and Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

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Published

2022-03-28

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Section

Articles