The role of analytical reasoning and source credibility on the evaluation of real and fake full-length news articles

Abstract

Aim Previous research has focused on accuracy associated with real and fake news presented in the form of news headlines only, which does not capture the rich context news is frequently encountered in real life. Additionally, while previous studies on evaluation of real and fake news have mostly focused on characteristics of the evaluator (i.e., analytical reasoning), characteristics of the news stimuli (i.e., news source credibility) and the interplay between the two have been largely ignored. To address these research gaps, this project examined the role of analytical reasoning and news source credibility on evaluation of real and fake full-length news story articles. The project considered both accuracy and perceived credibility ratings as outcome variables, thus qualifying previous work focused solely on news detection accuracy. Method We conducted two independent but parallel studies, with Study 2 as a direct replication of Study 1, employing the same design but in a larger sample (Study 1: N = 292 vs. Study 2: N = 357). In both studies, participants viewed 12 full-length news articles (6 real, 6 fake), followed by prompts to evaluate each article’s veracity and credibility. Participants were randomly assigned to view articles with a credible or non-credible source and completed the Cognitive Reflection Test as well as short demographic questions. Findings Consistent across both studies, higher analytical reasoning was associated with greater fake news accuracy, while analytical reasoning was not associated with real news accuracy. In addition, in both studies, higher analytical reasoning was associated with lower perceived credibility for fake news, while analytical reasoning was not associated with perceived credibility for real news. Furthermore, lower analytical reasoning was associated with greater accuracy for real (but not fake) news from credible compared to non-credible sources, with this effect only detected in Study 2. Conclusions The novel results generated in this research are discussed in light of classical vs. naturalistic accounts of decision-making as well as cognitive processes underlying news articles evaluation. The results extend previous findings that analytical reasoning contributes to fake news detection to full-length news articles. Furthermore, news-related cues such as the credibility of the news source systematically affected discrimination ability between real and fake news.

Aging in an “infodemic”: The role of analytical reasoning, affect, and news consumption frequency on news veracity detection.

“…Additionally, greater analytical reasoning was associated with this improved non-COVID fake news detection in our older adult sample. This result is consistent with previous evidence in young adults showing more accurate fake news detection with higher analytical reasoning (Bronstein et al, 2019; Pehlivanoglu et al, 2021; Pennycook & Rand, 2019, 2020; Ross et al, 2021) and extends this evidence to older adults—a population previously understudied in fake news research (see Brashier & Schacter, 2020). Importantly, findings from our direct age-group comparison suggested that news veracity detection and its association with analytical reasoning ability was similar between young and older adults.…”

“…This proposition is further supported by recent evidence that experimental enhancement of deliberative processing decreased belief in false news (Bago et al, 2020). Training interventions could entail fact-checking strategies and “nudging” to attend to diagnostic features (e.g., news source and content credibility; Pehlivanoglu et al, 2021) and/or to consider news veracity (Pennycook, McPhetres, et al, 2020).…”

“…The slower route, in contrast, is associated with high analytical reasoning and allows deliberation of information, often leading to less error prone decision-making. Consistent with Dual-Process Theory , studies with young adults have found that individuals who scored high on analytical reasoning (e.g., Cognitive Reflection Test [CRT]; Frederick, 2005) were better at detecting fake news than individuals low on analytical reasoning (Bronstein et al, 2019; Pehlivanoglu et al, 2021; Pennycook & Rand, 2020; Ross et al, 2021). The role of analytical reasoning on news veracity detection has not been examined in older adults yet.…”

Truth sensitivity and partisan bias in responses to misinformation.

“…Although fake news represents an important subset of misinformation, fake news is unique in the sense that it involves “fabricated information that mimics news media content in form but […] lack(s) the news media's editorial norms and processes for ensuring the accuracy and credibility of information” (Lazer et al, 2018, p. 1094). This characteristic has led to a common confound in studies on fake-news beliefs, in that false statements are presented with a dubious news source and true statements are presented with a mainstream news source (for two notable exceptions, see Pehlivanoglu et al, 2021; Traberg & van der Linden, 2022). Although this confound may be common for real and fake news encountered in natural contexts, it creates ambiguity about whether a given finding is driven by the veracity of the statements or the trustworthiness of the source.…”

'No, auntie, that's false': Challenges and resources of female baby boomers dealing with fake news on Facebook

“…Limited analytical reasoning skills or scarce media literacy may explain challenges faced by adults when confronting fake news. Some research has reported that although dogmatic individuals and religious fundamentalists were more likely to believe fake news, these relationships were partially or wholly explained by lower levels of analytical reasoning (Pehlivanoglu, et al, 2021). They found that higher analytical thinking was linked to increased accuracy in detecting fake news, while analytical reasoning was not associated with greater accuracy in detecting genuine news.…”