Effect of Presentation Style and Viewer Characteristics on Trust in False Media Information
Session Title
Poster Session 2
Faculty Mentor
Merry Sleigh, Ph.D
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Abstract
We created a false mental health disorder, fear of future anxiety (FOFA) and presented the information in different online formats. Participants were young adults with a mean age of 22.72 (SD = 7.94). They were primarily White (59.4%), and women (73.1%). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions that exposed them to the same made-up mental illness created by the researchers (FOFA or Fear of Future Anxiety). Participants took a fake diagnostic test, were assigned to read a short story about someone diagnosed with FOFA, or read information that mimicked a diagnostic manual. After a manipulation check, participants shared their perception of FOFA and responded to scales to assess intuition, social media engagement, skepticism, social media trust, and self-esteem. We found that adults who engaged more with social media were also more accepting of the fake disorder. People higher in self-esteem and skepticism were somewhat protected from making this mistake. Young adults overall accepted FOFA, even feeling sympathy for those who had it. The format of presentation had little impact. The personal story interested participants in the disorder the most, while the self-diagnostic test encouraged continuation in the study and recognition of the diagnosis in others. Perceptions of FOFA were consistent across race and skepticism levels. Women were more accepting of FOFA than men, likely reflecting gender differences in perceptions of mental health in general. These findings add to the increasing understanding of and concern for the power of social media in the domain of mental-health education.
Course Assignment
PSYC 302 – Sleigh
Previously Presented/Performed?
Winthrop University Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors, Rock Hill, SC, April 2023.
Type of Presentation
Poster presentation
Start Date
15-4-2023 12:00 PM
Effect of Presentation Style and Viewer Characteristics on Trust in False Media Information
We created a false mental health disorder, fear of future anxiety (FOFA) and presented the information in different online formats. Participants were young adults with a mean age of 22.72 (SD = 7.94). They were primarily White (59.4%), and women (73.1%). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions that exposed them to the same made-up mental illness created by the researchers (FOFA or Fear of Future Anxiety). Participants took a fake diagnostic test, were assigned to read a short story about someone diagnosed with FOFA, or read information that mimicked a diagnostic manual. After a manipulation check, participants shared their perception of FOFA and responded to scales to assess intuition, social media engagement, skepticism, social media trust, and self-esteem. We found that adults who engaged more with social media were also more accepting of the fake disorder. People higher in self-esteem and skepticism were somewhat protected from making this mistake. Young adults overall accepted FOFA, even feeling sympathy for those who had it. The format of presentation had little impact. The personal story interested participants in the disorder the most, while the self-diagnostic test encouraged continuation in the study and recognition of the diagnosis in others. Perceptions of FOFA were consistent across race and skepticism levels. Women were more accepting of FOFA than men, likely reflecting gender differences in perceptions of mental health in general. These findings add to the increasing understanding of and concern for the power of social media in the domain of mental-health education.
