Tackling Misinformation: Implications For Education

• In Event: AER Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: The Future Of Research-Informed Education? Building Societies Resilient To Misinformation And Polarization

Abstract

This paper explores how education can counter misinformation by equipping individuals with the skills to identify and reject harmful ideas. Building on the ideas engagement model, it investigates how a prospective mindset, social networks, and critical thinking interact to influence susceptibility to misinformation. Using Factor Mixture Modelling (FMM) and calibration question techniques, the study analyses data from 7,000 adults across seven European countries. The survey includes epistemic calibration items to assess belief accuracy. Findings indicate that individuals embedded in dense, homogenous networks and with low levels of critical thinking and education are more prone to false beliefs. The paper argues for targeted educational interventions that enhance critical reasoning and diversify informational environments to reduce misinformation vulnerability.

Author

• Yin Wang, University of Southampton - Highfield