Evaluating Climate Change (Mis)Information on Social Media: A Cognitive, Individual Differences Approach

• In Event: AI, Games, and Social Media: Teaching and Teaching Approaches and Strategies

Abstract

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study explored whether and how individual differences in cognition (working memory capacity, metacognitive awareness, and climate change belief) affect children’s attention and performance when evaluating climate change information on social media. Thirty eighth and ninth grade participants evaluated social media posts while their eye movements were tracked. Correlation, regression, and retrospective thinkalouds were used to explore relationships between the individual differences and attention and performance. Gaze data could be categorized into heuristic and systematic categories. Participants with higher visuospatial working memory capacity and metacognitive awareness knowledge performed significantly better and paid more attention to post authors. These findings support the importance of explicit instruction on attending to and evaluating the features of multimodal information.

Authors

• Christine Wusylko, Kennesaw State University

• Kara M. Dawson, University of Florida

• Pasha Antonenko, University of Florida

• Do Hyong Koh, University of Florida

• Angela M. Kohnen, University of Florida