Persuasive strategies in online health misinformation: a systematic review

IF 4.2 1区文学 Q1 COMMUNICATION Information Communication & Society Pub Date : 2022-07-13 DOI:10.1080/1369118X.2022.2085615

Wei Peng, Sue Lim, Jingbo Meng

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引用次数: 9

Abstract

ABSTRACT A proliferation of a variety of health misinformation is present online, particularly during times of public health crisis. To combat online health misinformation, numerous studies have been conducted to taxonomize health misinformation or examine debunking strategies for various types of health misinformation. However, one of the root causes – strategies in such misinformation that may persuade the readers – is rarely studied. This systematic review aimed to fill this gap. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Communication and Mass Media Complete for studies published between 2011 and 2021 on 29 May 2021. Peer-reviewed studies that discussed persuasive strategies in online misinformation messages were included. Of 1,700 articles identified, 58 were eligible and 258 persuasive strategies were extracted. Following the affinity diagraming process, 225 persuasive strategies in online health misinformation were categorized into 12 thematic groups, including: fabricating narrative with details, using anecdotes and personal experience as evidence, distrusting government or pharmaceutical companies, politicizing health issues, highlighting uncertainty and risk, inappropriate use of scientific evidence, rhetorical tricks, biased reasoning to make a conclusion, emotional appeals, distinctive linguistic features, and establishing legitimacy. Possible antecedents for why and how these persuasive strategies in online health misinformation may influence individuals were discussed. The findings suggest that media literacy education is essential for the public to combat health misinformation.

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在线健康错误信息中的说服策略:一项系统综述

摘要：网络上出现了各种各样的健康错误信息，尤其是在公共卫生危机时期。为了打击网上的健康错误信息，已经进行了大量研究，对健康错误信息进行分类，或检查各种类型的健康错误消息的揭穿策略。然而，其中一个根本原因——这种错误信息中可能说服读者的策略——很少被研究。这项系统的审查旨在填补这一空白。我们在Web of Science、Scopus、PsycINFO和Communication and Mass Media Complete上搜索了2021年5月29日发表在2011年至2021年间的研究。同行评审研究讨论了网络错误信息中的说服策略。在确定的1700篇文章中，58篇符合条件，258篇有说服力的策略被提取出来。根据亲和性诊断过程，225种在线健康错误信息的说服策略被分为12个主题组，包括：编造细节叙事，利用轶事和个人经历作为证据，不信任政府或制药公司，将健康问题政治化，突出不确定性和风险，科学证据的不当使用，修辞手法、有偏见的推理得出结论、情感诉求、鲜明的语言特征以及确立合法性。讨论了为什么以及如何在网上健康错误信息中使用这些有说服力的策略来影响个人的可能前因。研究结果表明，媒体素养教育对公众打击健康错误信息至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Information Communication & Society Multiple-

CiteScore

10.20

自引率

4.80%

发文量

110

期刊介绍： Drawing together the most current work upon the social, economic, and cultural impact of the emerging properties of the new information and communications technologies, this journal positions itself at the centre of contemporary debates about the information age. Information, Communication & Society (iCS) transcends cultural and geographical boundaries as it explores a diverse range of issues relating to the development and application of information and communications technologies (ICTs), asking such questions as: -What are the new and evolving forms of social software? What direction will these forms take? -ICTs facilitating globalization and how might this affect conceptions of local identity, ethnic differences, and regional sub-cultures? -Are ICTs leading to an age of electronic surveillance and social control? What are the implications for policing criminal activity, citizen privacy and public expression? -How are ICTs affecting daily life and social structures such as the family, work and organization, commerce and business, education, health care, and leisure activities? -To what extent do the virtual worlds constructed using ICTs impact on the construction of objects, spaces, and entities in the material world? iCS analyses such questions from a global, interdisciplinary perspective in contributions of the very highest quality from scholars and practitioners in the social sciences, gender and cultural studies, communication and media studies, as well as in the information and computer sciences.