Description
During crises, people are drawn to the unfiltered, up-to-the-minute coverage uniquely the truth. available on social media. When posted online, however, crisis information must often Misinformation can lead to harmful decision-making and is particularly dangerous in compete for audiences’ attention with specious commentary, counterarguments, false crisis situations. False rumors built on statistical, narrative, and visual evidence may narratives, and rumors. Distinguishing opinion from fact on social media can be difficult; the negatively affect attitudes, erode trust in the government, and deter compliance with official challenge may overwhelm people’s cognitive capacity and give rise to misperceptions. guidance. The driving purpose of this study was to examine the roles of individual attributes Misinformation can lead to harmful decision-making and is particularly dangerous in and cognitive processing in the decision-making process and determine which message negatively affect attitudes, erode trust in the government, and deter compliance with official Inspired by the events of Hurricane Harvey, a disaster during which misinformation guidance. The driving purpose of this study was to examine the roles of individual attributes circulated widely on social media, this study employed a pretest-and-posttest online and cognitive processing in the decision-making process and determine which message experiment to test the persuasiveness of false rumors in the crisis communication context. features are more persuasive during crises. Building on the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the narrative paradigm, the 3 × 2 factorial Inspired by the events of Hurricane Harvey, a disaster during which misinformation design (N = 477) manipulated evidence types (statistical vs. narrative vs. visual) and majority circulated widely on social media, this study employed a pretest-and-posttest online influence (low likes/retweets vs. high likes/retweets). Analyses indicated that media literacy, experiment to test the persuasiveness of false rumors in the crisis communication context. not need for cognition, predicted central processing and accurate credibility assessments. Building on the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the narrative paradigm, the 3 × 2 factorial Although central processing overall did not function as anticipated, positive central design (N = 477) manipulated evidence types (statistical vs. narrative vs. visual) and majority processing predicted positive attitudes toward compliance, positive behavioral intentions, and influence (low likes/retweets vs. high likes/retweets). Analyses indicated that media literacy, higher ratings of organizational trustworthiness and reputation. Of the three evidence types, not need for cognition, predicted central processing and accurate credibility assessments. narrative evidence arose as the most persuasive and damaging to attitudes, behavioral Although central processing overall did not function as anticipated, positive central intentions, and credibility assessments, while high likes/retweets negatively affected attitudes processing predicted positive attitudes toward compliance, positive behavioral intentions, and and behavioral intentions significantly more than low likes/retweets. higher ratings of organizational trustworthiness and reputation. Narrative evidence arose as Theoretically, this study’s inclusion of persuasive message features may open new the most persuasive and damaging to attitudes, behavioral intentions, and credibility methodological pathways for mass communication and public relations scholars exploring assessments, while high likes/retweets negatively affected attitudes and behavioral intentions. the effects of false rumors on attitudes, behavioral intentions, and reputation. Additionally, Theoretically, this study’s inclusion of persuasive message features may open new this research may help public relations practitioners identify and address especially methodological pathways for mass communication and public relations scholars, and help persuasive rumors before they gain traction, skew public perceptions, and disrupt the flow of public relations practitioners identify and address especially persuasive rumors before they accurate, life-saving information to those who need it most. gain traction, skew public perceptions, and disrupt the flow of accurate, life-saving information to those who need it most.
