Examining the factors affecting the decision processes on the accuracy of information of preservice teachers in social media

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine information sharing on social media platforms (facebook, twitter, instagram, youtube, etc.) in terms of the accuracy of information. Within the scope of this study, the effect of systematic (argument quality, validity, aspect) and heuristic (expertise, popularity, trustworthiness) clues, which are thought to have an impact on the decision process of preservice teachers regarding the accuracy of information on social media platforms and the effect of the decision regarding the accuracy of the information on the attitude towards the information were investigated. The results of the study revealed that popularity and argument quality had significant influence on the decision-making and behavior development process of the students attending a teacher-training program, who were regarded as preservice teachers, by processing the information shared on social media. In addition, it was seen that there was a strong and positive relationship between the attitude towards the information shared on the social media and the perception of the accuracy of the information shared on the social media.