Beyond Partisanship: How Local Beliefs Shape Misinformation
Why do some misinformation narratives become widespread while others do not? Although the study of misinformation is rapidly growing, much of the research has focused on false information that has already gained significant traction. This emphasis on successful misleading stories promoted by political actors has led to partisan reasoning being seen as the primary explanation for why individuals fall for misinformation (Flynn, Nyhan, and Reifler 2017). However, while partisan biases may play a role, we argue that individuals are often swayed by false information because it aligns with existing local beliefs. In everyday life, people are more likely to accept information that is consistent with their prior beliefs because it is easier to process rather than due to a deliberate motivation to align with partisan identity.
We provide evidence for the significance of processing fluency and local beliefs in influencing susceptibility to misinformation by comparing two health misinformation narratives promoted by former President Jair Bolsonaro: one narrative aligned with Brazilians’ broader beliefs about health, and another vaccine-related misinformation narrative that clashed with prevalent health attitudes in Brazil. Results from our online survey of 2,601 Brazilians support the hypothesis that false narratives resonating with local beliefs gain significantly more traction. These findings underscore the critical role of local beliefs in driving misinformation, highlighting the need for strategies that address these underlying beliefs in efforts to combat misinformation.
Dr. Mariana Borges is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Politics at the University of Southampton’s Department of Politics and International Relations, where she also serves as Director of the Centre for Political Ethnography (CPE). Prior to this, she was a Postdoctoral Prize Research Fellow in Politics at Nuffield College, University of Oxford. Her research focuses on political behaviour, public opinion, elections, representation, political parties, and misinformation, with a particular emphasis on Brazil.