Wan Yi, Thompson Kim M
University of South Carolina USA.
Proc Assoc Inf Sci Technol. 2022;59(1):824-826. doi: 10.1002/pra2.739. Epub 2022 Oct 14.
This study explores the social factors that may impact individuals' evaluation process of pandemic-related misinformation through a socio-cognitive lens. We conducted eight semi-structured interviews to collect data from individuals. Content analysis was guided by framework analysis of the interview transcripts. The social factors revealed in the study are social identity, social groups, social authorities, social spaces, social media, and social algorithms. These factors work together and isolate individuals from heterogeneous information. Social identity may decide other factors; correspondingly, the information filtered by social groups, authorities, spaces, media, and algorithms reinforces individuals' social identity. The tendency may reinforce bias on pandemic information and put people at risk. The research may provide an implication to information platforms to reconsider their algorithm designs and a direction for information literacy training programs to break the deficit assumption on individuals.
本研究通过社会认知视角，探讨了可能影响个体对疫情相关错误信息评估过程的社会因素。我们进行了八次半结构化访谈，以收集个体数据。内容分析以访谈记录的框架分析为指导。研究中揭示的社会因素包括社会身份、社会群体、社会权威、社会空间、社交媒体和社会算法。这些因素共同作用，使个体与异质信息隔离开来。社会身份可能决定其他因素；相应地，由社会群体、权威、机构、媒体和算法过滤的信息强化了个体的社会身份。这种倾向可能会强化对疫情信息的偏见，并使人们处于风险之中。该研究可能为信息平台重新考虑其算法设计提供启示，并为信息素养培训项目打破对个体的缺陷假设提供方向。
