How individuals cope with anger- and sadness-induced narrative misinformation on social media: roles of transportation and correction

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The spread of health conspiracies and misinformation online threatens public health as most Americans choose to acquire health information online. This study examines how discrete emotions like anger and sadness influence individuals’ responses to narrative-based health misinformation, proposing a theoretical model of narrative misinformation coping and exploring the mechanisms through which these emotions affect risk perception and misinformation coping. Design/methodology/approach Through a 2 (Misinformation type: narrative vs. non-narrative) × 2 (Issue: climate change vs. fentanyl overdose) × 2 (Correction: present vs. absent) online experiment (N = 401), our results underscore the importance of both risk coping and misinformation coping in individuals’ responses to emotional narrative misinformation, along with the role of narrative transportation in intensifying felt emotions and facilitating both types of coping. Findings Our results elucidate how individuals cope with anger- and sadness-induced narrative misinformation. Specifically, sadness decreases susceptibility to narrative misinformation’s negative effects, and anger prompts intuitive actions. Narrative transportation deepened felt emotions and both coping processes, and corrections reduced the perceived truthfulness of misinformation. Practical implications Our findings offer practical strategies for mitigating misinformation by disrupting narrative transportation, particularly for anger-induced stories. Social implications Our findings can contribute to the development of targeted policies aimed at mitigating online misinformation dissemination and provide a roadmap to executing effective correction measures. Originality/value This study proposes and tests a theoretical model of people’s responses to narrative misinformation addressing both misinformation coping and risk coping through cognitive and behavioral routes. The model also explains how transportation, along with different appraisal tendencies, can intensify both coping processes.