“Research suggests that detecting false information is difficult. When we encounter new information, we tend to focus on understanding it and deciding what to do next, rather than evaluating it for accuracy. It takes effort to compare new information with what we already know; when new information is false but plausible, we can learn it as fact. Several factors may increase our susceptibility to misinformation.

People are more likely to believe misinformation if it comes from in-group sources rather than out-group ones, or if they judge the source as credible. The emotional content of misinformation plays a role as well: People are more likely to believe false statements that appeal to emotions such as fear and outrage. They are also more likely to believe misinformation that paints opponents in a negative light than they are to believe misinformation that is negative about their own in-group. Finally, people are more likely to believe repeated information, even when it contradicts their prior knowledge. These findings suggest that it is important to stop misinformation early.

Susceptibility to misinformation shows individual differences based on experience. For example, educational attainment, analytical reasoning, and numeracy skills can increase resistance to misinformation, while anxiety increases a person’s likelihood of believing it. Older adults may be better at identifying misinformation than younger adults, yet older adults are also more likely to see and share false information on social media. Many of these effects are modest, and a key conclusion from the existing literature is that belief in misinformation does not always lead to changes in a person’s attitudes, intentions, or behaviors. In other words, what we believe does not always translate into what we do.

Many of these studies were conducted in laboratory and other controlled settings, so more research is needed in real-world contexts to determine the full impact of misinformation on behavior and health.”

Fonte: https://www.apa.org/topics/journalismfacts/misinformation-belief-action. Acesso em 05/01/2026 (adaptado).