Implications of people's beliefs about their susceptibility to inaccurate information

What is it about?

People seem to be more influenced by inaccurate information than they may realize. Asking people to reflect on their past experiences with inaccurate information and how they learned from those experiences 1) helps people become more aware of their susceptibility to inaccurate information and 2) helps people resist being influenced by inaccurate information.

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Why is it important?

Understanding the consequences of being exposed to false or misleading information is crucial due to increasing concerns about belief in and spread of 'fake' news. We offer insight into why people may be influenced by inaccurate content even in cases when they should know better: They appear to be unaware of the possibility that they could be influenced by inaccurate ideas, and as a result, may be less critical of information they encounter because of this belief in their 'invulnerability'. Our results suggest that people's beliefs about their susceptibility to inaccurate information is important in encouraging people to be more evaluative consumers of information.