Roozenbeek, J., & van der Linden, S. (2021). Fake news game confers psychological resistance against online misinformation. Palgrave Communications, 5(1), 1-10.
Abstract: The spread of online misinformation poses serious challenges to societies worldwide. In a novel attempt to address this issue, we designed a psychological intervention in the form of an online browser game. In the game, players take on the role of a fake news producer and learn to master six documented techniques commonly used in the production of misinformation: polarisation, invoking emotions, spreading conspiracy theories, trolling people online, deflecting blame, and impersonating fake accounts. The game draws on the theory of ‘inoculation’. Inoculation is a psychological technique that can confer resistance against misinformation. The results of a large-scale evaluation of the game (n = 15,000) indicate a large overall treatment effect: the game significantly improved resistance against misinformation, irrespective of education, age, political ideology, and cognitive style.