What Makes Political Rumors Contagious: Third-Person Effect of Political Rumor Dissemination on SNS via Dual Information Processing Routes

Shim, H., Jiyoung Yeon (Ph.D. student) & Lee, H. (2024). “What Makes Political Rumors Contagious: Third-Person Effect of Political Rumor Dissemination on SNS via Dual Information Processing Routes.” Asian Communication Research, 21(3), 475-495. https://doi.org/10.20879/acr.2024.21.030

Abstract: This study investigates the psychological and cognitive mechanisms underlying political rumor dissemination on SNS in South Korea by synthesizing three theoretical frameworks: framing, the third-person effect (TPE), and the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). We conducted an online experiment (N=800) examining how different rumor frames (character vs. competence) influence rumor dissemination. The results demonstrate that participants exposed to character-framed rumors, compared to competence-framed ones, were more likely to exhibit TPE, perceiving others as more susceptible to the rumor’s influence than themselves. Path analysis revealed significant indirect effects, with character framing influencing SNS dissemination intention through TPE and both peripheral and central routes of ELM. These findings advance our theoretical understanding of rumor dissemination by revealing the complex interplay between message framing, perceived influence on others, and dual information processing routes. The study also enriches the literature on political rumor framing effects by demonstrating how different trait qualifications shape sharing behavior on social media, suggesting that character-framed political rumors may be particularly influential in digital environments.