The cognitive outcomes of misinformation: Misbeliefs and knowledge

Abstract

This chapter examines the cognitive dimension of harms associated with encountering misinformation about COVID-19 on two outcome variables (i.e., misbeliefs and knowledge about COVID-19) in Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Singapore. The level of misbelief (e.g., accepting misinformation as true) was found to be associated significantly with age, exposure to, sharing of, and elaboration of COVID-19 misinformation. Similarly, the amount of correct knowledge about the coronavirus was significantly related to key demographics, exposure to, sharing of, and elaboration of the misinformation and misbeliefs. These results indicate that exposure to and sharing of misinformation alter respondents’ beliefs and hinder their acquisition of knowledge about COVID-19. Cross-societal differences among the four cities showed that respondents in Taipei had the lowest level of misbeliefs and highest level of knowledge compared to respondents in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Singapore, underscoring the critical role of societal influences on cognitive capacities.