Untangling the Web of Deceit: How COVID-19 Misinformation Impacts Information Behaviors and Preventative Measures

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified online misinformation, impacting information processing and health behaviors. This talk synthesizes findings from studies in Singapore, South Korea, and the United States, highlighting the role of misinformation exposure and eHealth literacy. A multi-country study shows misinformation reduces the perceived need for further information, increasing avoidance and heuristic processing. A three-wave panel survey in Singapore further reveals that misinformation exposure decreases engagement in evidence-based prevention while promoting misinformed behaviors, with these effects mediated by misperceptions and information overload. However, higher eHealth literacy helps mitigate misinformation’s impact. This research highlights the harmful impact of misinformation during a pandemic and underscores the need to account for individual differences, such as digital health literacy, in misinformation responses. The findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between misinformation exposure, information behaviors, and health decisions, reinforcing the importance of strengthening eHealth literacy to combat misinformation effectively.

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Dr. Hye Kyung (Kay) Kim is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair - Academic at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Her overarching research goal is to apply communication and social psychological theories to understand the processing and effects of communicative interactions in health. She is particularly interested in the role of self-defense motives in health-decision making and the processing of personally relevant risk information in mediated contexts. Her research ultimately seeks to develop theory-driven communication strategies that overcome resistance to health persuasion. Her work has appeared in top-tier peer-reviewed academic journals such as the Journal of Communication, Human Communication Research, Communication Research, and Health Communication. She is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Health Communication.

This is a hybrid on-campus / online event. Zoom link will be provided upon registration.