TY - JOUR
T1 - Exposure Effects or Confirmation Bias? Examining Reciprocal Dynamics of Misinformation, Misperceptions, and Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccines
AU - Xu, Shan
AU - Coman, Ioana A.
AU - Yamamoto, Masahiro
AU - Najera, Christina Jimenez
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - This longitudinal study integrates exposure effects and confirmation bias under the theoretical framework of dynamic motivation activation (DMA) to examine the dynamic reciprocity of misinformation, misperceptions, and attitudes in the context of COVID-19 vaccination. Results from a three- national survey showed that misinformation exposure, misperceptions, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines reinforced themselves over time. Further, misperceptions reduced subsequent pro-vaccine attitudes, and pro-vaccine attitudes in turn decreased subsequent misperceptions. Longitudinal mediation analysis also indicated that attitudes reinforced themselves through misperceptions. Surprisingly, we did not find a significant impact of misinformation exposure on subsequent misperceptions or effects of attitudes on subsequent misinformation exposure. These findings highlight the importance of addressing misperceptions regarding COVID-19 vaccines and provide insights for theoretical development in research on exposure effects and confirmation bias.
AB - This longitudinal study integrates exposure effects and confirmation bias under the theoretical framework of dynamic motivation activation (DMA) to examine the dynamic reciprocity of misinformation, misperceptions, and attitudes in the context of COVID-19 vaccination. Results from a three- national survey showed that misinformation exposure, misperceptions, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines reinforced themselves over time. Further, misperceptions reduced subsequent pro-vaccine attitudes, and pro-vaccine attitudes in turn decreased subsequent misperceptions. Longitudinal mediation analysis also indicated that attitudes reinforced themselves through misperceptions. Surprisingly, we did not find a significant impact of misinformation exposure on subsequent misperceptions or effects of attitudes on subsequent misinformation exposure. These findings highlight the importance of addressing misperceptions regarding COVID-19 vaccines and provide insights for theoretical development in research on exposure effects and confirmation bias.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129144565&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10410236.2022.2059802
DO - 10.1080/10410236.2022.2059802
M3 - Article
C2 - 35414311
AN - SCOPUS:85129144565
SN - 1041-0236
VL - 38
SP - 2210
EP - 2220
JO - Health Communication
JF - Health Communication
IS - 10
ER -