What is it about?
We find that exposure to framed messages regarding the origins of COVID-19 can have a powerful effect on people’s beliefs about the cause of this global pandemic. Moreover, beliefs about the origin of the virus had strong “downstream effects” on respondents’ willingness to penalize China when they believe it may have been created by the Chinese government.
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Why is it important?
It is crucial find ways to combat the powerful effects that exposure to scientific misinformation, such as in the form of conspiracy theories and fake news, can exert on audiences. Our research shows that in a competitive rhetorical setting surrounding debate over the origins of COVID-19, con- spiracy rhetoric can have a profound impact and overpower scientific 16 Science Communication 00(0) information
Perspectives
I was surprised at the dramatic impact that conspiracy messages had. It will be important to identify ways to combat the spread of such misinformation.
Professor Risa Palm
Georgia State University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Framing the Origins of COVID-19, Science Communication, September 2020, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1075547020953603.
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