“Video catalyzing misinformation online: The effects of message modality and source type on perceived misinformation credibility, health attitudes and behaviors”

Ivanka Pjesivac, Sohyun Park (Ph.D. student) & Alexia Little (Ph.D. student) (2024, August). “Video catalyzing misinformation online: The effects of message modality and source type on perceived misinformation credibility, health attitudes and behaviors,” paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Philadelphia, PA.  *Top faculty paper; Visual Communication Division

Abstract: This paper examined the effects of message modality (video/text) and type of sources (official/unofficial) on perceived credibility of misinformation on social media, health attitudes and behaviors. The results of a 2x2 randomized experiment (N=190) showed significant effects of video modality on perceived credibility of misinformation about the Ebola virus, as well as perceived vaccine danger. Moderating effects of trust in institutions and political ideology were also investigated. The results are interpreted in light of information processing theories.