오정보(misinformation), 왜 믿는가? 어떻게 정정할 것인가?: 오정보와 그 정정에 대한 이론적 검토

황현정,김장원,이효은,서유지,고예나,양소은,김현석 서울대학교 언론정보연구소 2020 언론정보연구 Vol.57 No.4

Misinformation, boosted by mass media and social network sites, is disseminating farther and faster than ever before, affecting millions. Despite the deleterious consequences of the spread of misinformation, such as engendering ill-informed voting behaviors and misleading health related beliefs, there has been insufficient discussion on the ramifications of and solutions to this phenomenon. The purpose of this article is to (a) examine the mechanisms underlying the acceptance and correction of misinformation by systematically reviewing theoretical and empirical literature from communication and psychological science; and (b) propose effective communication interventions to correct misinformation. Our literature review suggests that various factors related to the source (source credibility), message (processing fluency, familiarity, coherence, narrative), channel (modality, synchronicity, affinity), and receiver (skepticism, preexisting beliefs, news literacy) aspects of communication may affect the extent to which people believe misinformation. Once misinformation is accepted, it tends to continue to shape the message recipient’s beliefs and attitudes, making its correction difficult. However, carefully-crafted corrective messages can reduce the negative influence of misinformation. Specifically, the literature suggests that corrective messages should aim at undermining the persuasiveness of and replacing the mental models formed by the misinformation. We conclude by recommending four strategies to design effective corrective messages: (a) employ a reliable information source, (b) provide sufficient information to replace the existing mental model, (c) activate the recipients’ skepticism, and (d) focus on forewarning before exposure to misinformation alongside post-exposure corrective efforts. 소셜 네트워크 사이트로 대표되는 새로운 미디어 환경 속에서 오늘날 오정보(misinformation)는 과거보다 더 빠르게 더 광범위하게 확산하고, 더 많은 사람에게 영향을 미친다. 이러한 오정보는 민주주의와 지식체계에 부정적인 영향을 미칠 수 있지만, 아직 국내에서는 오정보의 영향과 그 정정 방안에 대한 학문적 논의가 상대적으로부족한 실정이다. 본 연구는 커뮤니케이션학과 심리학의 이론적·실증적 연구들에 대한 문헌 검토를 바탕으로 오정보의 수용과 정정의 과정과 원리를 살펴보고, 이를 통해효과적인 오정보 정정 방법을 도출했다. 구체적으로, 사람들이 오정보를 믿게 되는 이유와 이들을 대상으로 한 정정이 어떻게 이루어질 수 있는지에 대해 ‘정보원’, ‘메시지’, ‘채널’, ‘수용자’의 커뮤니케이션 요소별로 나누어 검토했다. 오정보가 믿음직한 정보로 수용되는 데는 (1) 정보원의 공신력, (2) 메시지의 정보 처리 용이성과 친숙도, 일관적인 논증 구조, (3) 전송 양식, 동시성 및 친밀감과 같은 채널과 관련한 속성들, (4) 수용자의 선유 신념과 회의주의적 태도, 뉴스 리터러시 등 다양한 커뮤니케이션 관련 요인이 영향을 미침을 확인했다. 아울러, 기존 연구들은 이렇게 한번 진실로 받아들여진오정보는 이후 수용자의 추론 과정과 태도에 지속적으로 영향을 미치기 때문에 정정이 쉽지 않음을 보여준다. 하지만 동시에, 비록 오정보 노출 이전 상태로 되돌릴 수는없지만, 오정보 정정 커뮤니케이션 방안을 체계적으로 설계함으로써 오정보의 부정적 영향력을 상당 부분 줄일 수 있다는 점 또한 시사한다. 대표적으로, 오정보의 설득력을 줄이고, 오정보로 형성된 심성모형을 대체할 수 있는 대안적인 정보를 충분히 제공하는 메시지 전략이 여러 연구들에서 강조되어왔다. 오정보를 효과적으로 바로잡기 위해서는 정정의 원리를 이해하고 그 효과를 극대화할 수 있는 변인을 적절하게 활용하는 것이 필요하다. 결론에서 이 연구는 효과적인 오정보의 정정 방법으로 (1) 공신력 높은 정보원을 제시할 것, (2) 심성모형을 대체할 수 있는 대안 정보를 제공할 것, (3) 수용자의 회의주의 성향을 활성화할 것, (4) 사후 정정보다는 사전 경고를 활용할것을 제안했다.

Unraveling the Web of Health Misinformation: Exploring the Characteristics, Emotions, and Motivations of Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vinit Yadav,Yukti Dhadwal,Rubal Kanozia,Shri Ram Pandey,Ashok Kumar 충남대학교 아시아여론연구소 2024 Asian journal for public opinion research Vol.12 No.1

The proliferation of health misinformation gained momentum amidst the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). People stuck in their homes, without work pressure, regardless of health concerns towards personal, family, or peer groups, consistently demanded information. People became engaged with misinformation while attempting to find health information content. This study used the content analysis method and analyzed 1,154 misinformation stories from four prominent signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network during the pandemic. The study finds the five main categories of misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are 1) the severity of the virus, 2) cure, prevention, and treatment, 3) myths and rumors about vaccines, 4) health authorities' guidelines, and 5) personal and social impacts. Various sub-categories supported the content characteristics of these categories. The study also analyzed the emotional valence of health misinformation. It was found that misinformation containing negative sentiments got higher engagement during the pandemic. Positive and neutral sentiment misinformation has less reach. Surprise, fear, and anger/aggressive emotions highly affected people during the pandemic; in general, people and social media users warning people to safeguard themselves from COVID-19 and creating a confusing state were found as the primary motivation behind the propagation of misinformation. The present study offers valuable perspectives on the mechanisms underlying the spread of health-related misinformation amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. It highlights the significance of discerning the accuracy of information and the feelings it conveys in minimizing the adverse effects on the well-being of public health.

Fighting the Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media Predicting Two Types of Misinformation-Sharing Behaviors via Risk Perception, Social Media Literacy, Fear, and Organizational Trust

천명기,이태준 한국PR학회 2023 PR연구 Vol.27 No.3

Objectives The intertwining of the coronavirus spread with misinformation creates confusion among the people, significantly affecting their decision-making concerning vaccines and treatments. Given the ease with which individuals encounter COVID-19-related misinformation on social media platforms, it is imperative to anticipate and understand the behaviors of social media users with respect to sharing misinformation. This study aimed to validate a theoretical framework that seeks to predict two distinct types of misinformation-sharing behaviors: those who engage in fact-checking and those who do not. The study achieved this by investigating the influence of participants' perceptions of COVID-19 risk, their level of social media literacy, fear levels, and their trust in both the media and government for their fact-checking. Methods This study conducted an online survey that included 500 participants from South Korea. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to predict two distinct types of misinformation-sharing behaviors: those who engage in fact-checking and those who do not. Results The results of this study showed that fake news exposure and fear of COVID-19 were significant factors in predicting the two types of misinformation-sharing behaviors. By accounting for demographic information, exposure to fake news, and fear of COVID-19, the results of this study showed that trust in the media predicted individuals' misinformation-sharing behaviors without fact checks whereas social media literacy and trust in government led to fact-checking behavior before sharing misinformation related to COVID-19. Conclusions Infectious diseases like COVID-19 are likely to recur in the future. Consequently, the findings of this study carry both theoretical and practical significance within the realms of crisis and public communication. Specifically, the framework for predicting two distinct forms of misinformation-sharing behaviors may contribute to the development of communication theory. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study can offer valuable insights into the communication skills of professionals working in government positions.

Complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine-specific COVID-19 misinformation on social media: A scoping review

Ng Jeremy Y.,Liu Shawn,Maini Ishana,Pereira Will,Cramer Holger,Moher David 한국한의학연구원 2023 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.12 No.3

Background: The sharing of health-related information has become increasingly popular on social media. Unregulated information sharing has led to the spread of misinformation, especially regarding complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM). This scoping review synthesized evidence surrounding the spread of CAIM-related misinformation on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This review was informed by a modified version of the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review framework. AMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases were searched systematically from inception to January 2022. Eligible articles explored COVID-19 misinformation on social media and contained sufficient information on CAIM therapies. Common themes were identified using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Results: Twenty-eight articles were included. The following themes were synthesized: 1) misinformation prompts unsafe and harmful behaviours, 2) misinformation can be separated into different categories, 3) individuals are capable of identifying and refuting CAIM misinformation, and 4) studies argue governments and social media companies have a responsibility to resolve the spread of COVID-19 misinformation. Conclusions: Misinformation can spread more easily when shared on social media. Our review suggests that misinformation about COVID-19 related to CAIM that is disseminated online contributes to unsafe health behaviours, however, this may be remedied via public education initiatives and stricter media guidelines. The results of this scoping review are crucial to understanding the behavioural impacts of the spread of COVID-19 misinformation about CAIM therapies, and can inform the development of public health policies to mitigate these issues.

R 프로그램을 이용한 허위 정보에 관한 교육 분야 국제 연구 동향 분석

하상우 학습자중심교과교육학회 2024 학습자중심교과교육연구 Vol.24 No.24

Objectives This study aims to analyze international research trends on misinformation in education using the R programming language. Methods Five hundred fourteen high-quality papers (SCI, SSCI, AHCI) were extracted from the Web of Science database. A big data analysis and literature review were conducted on these papers, focusing on their sources, keywords, and core research. The study was carried out in four stages: data collection, data cleaning, data analysis, and literature review. Results Research on misinformation in education has rapidly increased in recent years. The number of papers published in journals related to educational psychology and medical education was high, while those published in journals related to subject education were relatively few. The keywords related to misinformation appeared in the order of Misinformation, Fake News, and Disinformation. Keywords related to competencies for addressing misinformation appeared in the order of Media Literacy and Digital Literacy. Core research in this field included studies on specific strategies for identifying misinformation, characteristics of students in identifying misinformation, origins of the false memory effect, expansion of the concept of media literacy, and attempts to extend terminology from a science education perspective. Conclusions In Korea, there is a need to diversify international cooperation networks and pay more attention to international-level research on misinformation. Additionally, conducting more active research on dealing with misinformation from various perspectives, including specific perspectives in various subject education fields, is necessary.

오보 속 사건의 윤리성과 정정보도의 책임 귀인이 인물과 매체에 대한 평가 변화에 미치는 영향

육은희 한국방송학회 2020 방송통신연구 Vol.- No.112

In this study, It was tried to examine how the effects of politics vary according to the nature of misinformation cases and the attribution of politics. In other words, it was attempted to observe through an experiment whether the effect of the political information map differs depending on the nature of the case dealt with in the misinformation, and whether the effect of the political information map differs depending on who the responsibility of the misinformation is assigned to. To this end, an experiment was conducted with the case attributes of misinformation (ethical events, general events) and responsibility attribution of politics (internal attribution, external attribution, no attribution) as independent variables. Results show that correction articles positively changed the evaluation of people. At this time, the influence of independent variables on changes in cognitive and emotional evaluations in the evaluation of the person in the misinformation article was different. In other words, cognitive evaluation had a positive effect on political information regardless of the event attribute of misinformation. In the case of emotional evaluation, the change in character evaluation appeared differently depending on the responsible attribution of the political information diagram. On the other hand, the evaluation of media credibility changed positively after showing the correction articles, but this was found only in the condition of internal attribution. These results show that the decline in media credibility due to misinformation may vary depending on how appropriately you respond to it, rather than due to the occurrence of misinformation or the severity of errors.

Development and Usability Evaluation of COVID-Iran: A Mobile Application for Mitigating COVID-19 Misinformation

Raheleh Salari,Farhad Fatehi,Hamed Mehdizadeh 대한의료정보학회 2024 Healthcare Informatics Research Vol.30 No.4

Objectives: The spread of misinformation through the internet can lead to dangerous behavioral changes and erode trust inreliable sources, especially during public health crises like coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To combat this issue, innovativestrategies that leverage information technology are essential. This study focused on developing and evaluating a mobileapplication (app), COVID-Iran, aimed at countering COVID-19 misinformation by delivering accurate, reliable, and credibleinformation. Methods: The development of the app involved a multi-step, user-centered approach that integrated qualitativeexpert consultations with quantitative survey research to pinpoint and validate key features. The app was initially prototypedusing Enterprise Architect software and subsequently developed using Android Studio and MySQL. We conducted a usabilityevaluation using the System Usability Scale (SUS), where participants engaged in various tasks related to information seeking,self-assessment, and health management. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 19. Results:The findings revealed a high usability level (SUS score of 81.35), with participants reporting ease of use and learnability. Theapp effectively countered misinformation by providing access to trusted sources and evidence-based counterarguments. User feedback emphasized the app’s strengths in clarity, accuracy, trustworthiness, and its comprehensive approach. Plans forfuture improvements include the integration of artificial intelligence to deliver personalized content. Conclusions: Despitelimitations such as the small sample size and potential self-selection bias, this study highlights the significant potential ofmHealth apps to provide reliable health information and combat misinformation.

자기기입식 면담과 오정보가 목격자의 회상 정확도에 미치는 영향

김재후,조은경 한국법심리학회 2025 한국심리학회지: 법 Vol.16 No.1

본 연구에서는 자기기입식 면담(Self-Administered Interview)과 오정보가 목격자 기억에 미치는 영향을 확인하고자 했다. 총 115명의 참가자가 3(초기 기억회상: 자기기입식 면담, 자유보고, 통제) x 2(오정보: 있음, 없음) 참가자 간 설계 실험에 무선할당됐고, 모의범죄 영상을 시청한 후 조건에 따라 초기 기억회상을 수행했다. 일주일 후 사후 정보를 제공한 뒤 실험참가자들 의 회상 정확도를 측정했다. 연구결과, 자기기입식 면담을 통한 초기 기억회상은 다른 조건 들보다 유의미하게 더 높은 회상 정확도를 나타냈다. 하지만 오정보가 제시됐을 때 자기기 입식 면담과 다른 조건 간 회상 정확도의 차이는 유의미하지 않았다. 추가 분석에서는 오정 보가 제시되지 않았을 때, 자기기입식 면담은 다른 기억회상 조건들보다 통계적으로 더 많 은 정확 정보와 기억회상량을 보여주었다. 본 연구는 자기기입식 면담이 초동수사에서 목격 자 진술 확보와 기억 보존에 효과적인 도구임을 시사하며, 제한적 수사환경에서도 유용하게 활용될 수 있는 면담도구임을 보여준다. 마지막으로 연구의 의의와 한계점을 논의하였다. This study aimed to examine the effects of the Self-Administered Interview (SAI) and misinformation on eyewitness memory. A total of 115 participants were randomly assigned to a 3 (initial memory recall: SAI, free recall, control) × 2 (misinformation: present, absent) between-subjects experimental design. After watching a mock crime video, participants performed initial memory recall according to their assigned condition. One week later, post-event information was provided, and their recall accuracy was measured. The results showed that initial memory recall through SAI led to significantly higher recall accuracy than the other conditions. However, when misinformation was presented, the difference in recall accuracy between the SAI and other conditions was not statistically significant. Further analysis revealed that, in the absence of misinformation, the SAI condition resulted in significantly greater accurate information recall and total recall quantity compared to other recall conditions. This study suggests that SAI is an effective tool for securing eyewitness statements and preserving memory in early investigations, demonstrating its utility even in limited investigative environments. Finally, the implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

누가 소셜 미디어 상에서 오정보에 대한 댓글에 동조하는가?: 인지적 종결 욕구 및 성격 5요인을 중심으로

한준영 서강대학교 사회과학연구소 2022 사회과학연구 Vol.30 No.2

Who is more vulnerable to social influence in processing misinformation? Previous works revealed others’ opinions and evaluations affect the spread of misinformation. However, they do not offer a clear answer on when and why others matter. This paper is a first attempt to fill this gap by analyzing how psychological factors can moderate the impact of comments supporting misinformation on social media. With an online survey experiment (n=993), I find that people who have a high level of Need for Cognitive Closure, Openness, and Extroversion, or a low level of Conscientiousness are more likely to conform to others’ comments. This work deepens previous understanding of the relationship between misinformation and social influence by looking at the individual difference in susceptibility to others. 누가 소셜 미디어 상에서 오정보에 대한 댓글에 더 동조하는가? 기존 연구는 오정보의 확산 및 전파에 타인의 의견과 평가가 영향을 미침을 밝혀냈다. 하지만 구체적으로 왜, 그리고 언제 사람들의 오정보 처리에 타인이 영향을 미치는지에 대해서는 답을 제공해주지 못하고 있다. 이러한 문제의식에서 본 연구는 개인의 정보 처리 성향과 심리적 기제에 주목하여 이들이 어떻게 소셜 미디어 상에서 오정보에 대한 댓글의 효과를 조절하는지 살펴보았다. 대학 커뮤니티를 통해 모집한 993명의 성인을 대상으로 진행한 설문 실험 결과, 인지적 종결 욕구, 개방성, 그리고 외향성이 높거나 성실성이 낮을수록 소셜 미디어 상의 오정보를 처리할 때 댓글의 영향을 더 많이 받는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 타인의 의견이 오정보 처리에 미치는 영향에서 개인차를 살펴본 최초의 연구로써, 오정보와 사회적 영향의 관계에 대한 기존의 이해를 심화했다는 의의가 있다.

코로나19 관련 허위정보에 대한 인식과 당파성의 역할

오현진 고려대학교 정부학연구소 2022 정부학연구 Vol.28 No.1

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a severe effect and became politicized across the world, we have witnessed that the rapid spread of misinformation and misperceptions about the COVID-19 have been damaging to personal health as well as inflicting massive social costs for managing the public health crisis. Growing concerns about the social consequences of the COVID-19 infodemic have lead scholarly works to focus mainly on the extent to which people with misperceptions ignore the government guidelines or hesitate to vaccinate. However, much less empirical work has asked who are more susceptible to embrace misinformation. Using a online panel survey, the purpose of this study was to explore how misperceptions about the COVID-19 are distributed among the public in South Korea, focusing on the role of partisanship and partisan polarization. This analysis found that the direction and strength of partisan identities play a crucial role in embracing the COVID-19 misinformation. It also shows that presidential out-partisans tend to embrace substantially greater misperceptions than presidential co-partisans, and the partisan perception gap is more pronounced for those with higher levels of partisan polarization. 팬데믹이 확산될수록 잘못된 정보 역시 빠르게 전파되는 현상을 가르키는 이른바 인포데믹(Infodemic)의 문제는 실제 개인의 건강을 위협할 뿐만 아니라 허위정보에 취약할수록 백신 접종 거부나 방역지침에 대한 불신으로 이어져 정부의 위기관리 조정비용을 상승시키는 등 사회적 폐해를 야기하고 있다. 갈수록 뉴미디어 환경을 통해 허위정보의 유포와 확산이 용이해지고 있지만 상대적으로 누가 코로나19 관련 허위정보에 취약한가라는 질문에 대한 경험적 연구는 아직 부족한 편이다. 이러한 문제의식 속에 본 논문은 당파성(Partisanship)과 당파적 양극화(Partisan polarization)의 심화라는 정치적 환경이 코로나19 관련 허위정보에 대한 사회적 인식을 형성하는데 있어 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 살펴보고 있다. 2021년 8월 말 실시한 ‘코로나19의 사회적 영향과 시민인식에 관한 온라인 패널여론조사’ 자료를 분석한 결과, 본 논문은 당파성의 유무 자체보다도 당파성의 방향과 당파적 양극화의 강도에 따라 코로나19 관련 허위정보에 대한 일반 시민의 믿음 혹은 불신 경향이 유의미한 차이를 보인다는 점을 발견하였다.