Beyond misinformation: Understanding and coping with the “post-truth” era.

Lewandowsky, Stephan; Ecker, Ullrich K. H.; Cook, John

doi:10.1016/j.jarmac.2017.07.008

Cited by 1,985Misinformation and Its ImpactsClimate Change Communication and PerceptionCommunication and COVID-19 Impact

Beyond misinformation: Understanding and coping with the “post-truth” era.

Open access

Lewandowsky, Stephan, Ecker, Ullrich K. H., Cook, John·2017·Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition

DOI 10.1016/j.jarmac.2017.07.008

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Abstract

The terms "post-truth" and "fake news" have become increasingly prevalent in public discourse over the last year. This article explores the growing abundance of misinformation, how it influences people, and how to counter it. We examine the ways in which misinformation can have an adverse impact on society. We summarize how people respond to corrections of misinformation, and what kinds of corrections are most effective. We argue that to be effective, scientific research into misinformation must be considered within a larger political, technological, and societal context. The post-truth world emerged as a result of societal mega-trends such as a decline in social capital, growing economic inequality, increased polarization, declining trust in science, and an increasingly fractionated media landscape. We suggest that responses to this malaise must involve technological solutions incorporating psychological principles, an interdisciplinary approach that we describe as "technocognition." We outline a number of recommendations to counter misinformation in a post-truth world.

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Authors: Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K. H., & Cook, J.
Affiliations: The University of Western Australia (AU)
ORCID: Lewandowsky, Stephan
Ecker, Ullrich K. H.
Cook, John
Venue: Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2017-12
Volume: 6
Issue: 4
Pages: 353-369
ISSN: 2211-3681 (ISSN-L)
2211-369X
DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2017.07.008
OpenAlex: W2760944227
Cited by: 1,985
References: 129
Citations by year: 2026: 265 · 2025: 333 · 2024: 247 · 2023: 207 · 2022: 228 · 2021: 243 · 2020: 176 · 2019: 185 · 2018: 83 · 2017: 16 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI: 321.06
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
research-information.bris.ac.uk
Licence: other-oa
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (publishedVersion)
Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders: Psychonomic Society
Australian Research Council
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Climate Change Communication and Perception
Social Sciences › Communication › Communication and COVID-19 Impact
Keywords: misinformation, post-truth, fake news, economic inequality, political polarization, public trust in science, media fragmentation, countering misinformation

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Beyond misinformation: Understanding and coping with the “post-truth” era.

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