Even as vaccines for COVID-19 become more widely available, surveys show that some people may refuse them, often based on misinformation spread over social media.
UC Davis experts will discuss how public health authorities and best combat this kind of misinformation in a virtual conversation.
Jingwe
University of California Davis What approaches are most effective at targeting vaccine misinformation on social media among users unlikely to visit fact-checking websites or engage with thorough corrections? In light of increasing levels of vaccine hesitancy in several countries, researchers are studying the role of exposure to misinformation - particularly as it spreads on social media - as one of the factors that could negatively influence vaccination attitudes and decisions. One approach being studied is the design of platform-based interventions to provide social media users with signals on content and source quality. This paper explores 2 central questions: (i) Can one such signal - fact-checking labels on misinformation - result in more favourable attitudes toward vaccines, and is the effect contingent upon race, education, and/or conspiracy ideation? (ii) Does the fact-checking labels effect depend on the source to which the label is attributed?
jwzzhang
Role: Assistant Professor
Dr. Jingwen Zhang s research interests include health promotion (e.g., sexual health, reproductive health, and physical activity), social influence, and interventions utilizing innovative online communication platforms. Current research efforts focus on the development of persuasive online networks using mobile technologies and computational approaches. She is also involved in research on communication for development, an interest that traces back to her work with UNICEF. She completed her doctoral studies at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Zhang’s previous studies have been published in a wide range of journals, including
American Journal of Public Health, Annual Review of Sociology, Journal of Health Communication, Preventive Medicine, Health Psychology, etc
Fact-checking can reduce vaccine myths
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A UC Davis study showed that those exposed to fact-checking labels were more likely to develop more positive attitudes toward vaccines. Jingwen Zhang/Courtesy illustration.
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Social media misinformation can negatively influence people’s attitudes about vaccine safety and effectiveness, but credible organizations such as research universities and health institutions can play a pivotal role in debunking myths with simple tags that link to factual information, UC Davis researchers suggest in a new study.
Researchers found that fact-check tags located immediately below or near a post can generate more positive attitudes toward vaccines than misinformation alone, and perceived source expertise makes a difference.
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IMAGE: A UC Davis study showed that those exposed to fact-checking labels were more likely to develop more positive attitudes toward vaccines than misinformation alone. The illustration shows an example of. view more
Credit: Jingwen Zhang/courtesy illustration
Social media misinformation can negatively influence people s attitudes about vaccine safety and effectiveness, but credible organizations such as research universities and health institutions can play a pivotal role in debunking myths with simple tags that link to factual information, University of California, Davis, researchers, suggest in a new study.
Researchers found that fact-check tags located immediately below or near a post can generate more positive attitudes toward vaccines than misinformation alone, and perceived source expertise makes a difference.