ДИНАМИКАТА НА ДЕЗИНФОРМАЦИИТЕ ВО СОВРЕМЕНОТО ОПШТЕСТВО: ПСИХОЛОШКИ И СОЦИОПОЛИТИЧКИ ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ

Abstract

In recent years it has often been said that we have entered a “post-truth” era, where the line between truth and lies is blurred. The effect of misinformation was most evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories on the fringes of the information ecosystem entered the dominant discourse. Building upon these points, this paper examines the contemporary phenomenon of belief in, dissemination, and the impacts of misinformation, considering psychological, socio-political, and media perspectives, and particularly focusing on N. Macedonia. We explore some of the psychological drivers behind the belief and spread of misinformation, which we divide into several levels: cognitive (intuitive thinking, imagination, rehearsal, revision of beliefs), socio-affective (group affiliation and bias, ideology, collective narcissism), and personological (Big Five personality factors). Furthermore, we consider socio-political factors (such as party affiliation, media literacy, and public policies) and media factors (echo chambers, information cascades, information ecosystem) that correlate and/or moderate the effect of belief and the spread of misinformation. The paper aims to review the contemporary phenomenon of misinformation, emphasizing the complex interaction between psychological, socio-political, and other factors. Furthermore, some of the ways to deal with the spread of misinformation and areas for future research are discussed. In conclusion, although the variety of misinformation is diverse and shaped by the national/regional information ecosystem, the role of psychological theory in the fight against misinformation is undeniable, specifically because it offers practical insights that are applicable in the real world.