Comparing the efficacy of narrative and didactic inoculation in combating climate change misinformation: impact on misbeliefs and intention to share misinformation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Previous research has suggested that incorporating emotional language and exemplars within inoculation messages could enhance their effectiveness in inducing resistance to climate change misinformation. We conducted a between-subject experiment with four conditions (negative narrative inoculation, positive narrative inoculation, didactic inoculation, and misinformation only condition) to test the effectiveness of inoculation. We found that didactic inoculation increased perceived threat significantly more than both types of narrative inoculations. However, there were no significant differences across these three types of inoculation messages in conferring resistance to misinformation regarding counterarguing against misinformation, belief in misinformation, perceived credibility of misinformation, or intention to share misinformation.
Source: Journal of Science Communication
DOI: 10.22323/jcom.1502
Authors: Bingbing Zhang, Michael Schmierbach
Institution: University of Iowa
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412512693