Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between various types of literacy on one hand and identification of misinformation and dissemination of such information on the other, in search for better countermeasures against misinformation.Design/methodology/approachBased on data from a large-scale survey, models are constructed and analyzed to assess the relationships of literacy with both the identification of inaccuracies and dissemination behavior.FindingsRegarding the identification of misinformation, individuals with high critical thinking attitudes (subjective literacy) are less likely to recognize misinformation, while other objective literacies do not have a significant relationship. Regarding dissemination behavior, individuals with high information literacy, media literacy and critical thinking scores tend not to disseminate misinformation, whereas those with high critical thinking attitudes are more likely to disseminate such information.Originality/valueFirst, it quantitatively elucidates the relationships various literacies have with the accuracy judgment and dissemination behavior of misinformation. This highlights the effectiveness of objective indicators of literacies and the need for caution regarding subjective literacy – i.e. self-confidence in their own literacy. Second, it provides a cross-disciplinary analysis of the relationships, covering not only oft-studied politics and health care but also various other fields, thereby identifying comprehensive literacy strategies against misinformation. Third, it addresses differences in dissemination methods and offers insights into more practical countermeasures.
Published Version
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