Date created: | Last Updated:

Category: Uncategorized

Description: This exploratory analysis investigates news-seeking behaviors and adherence to inaccurate beliefs about COVID-19 preventatives/treatments, COVID-19 severity, and vaccines in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and via the lens of selective exposure theory. We surveyed 3,276 American adults about their sources of COVID-19 news and perceptions of false statements regarding treatments/preventatives, vaccines, and the seriousness of the virus. The study makes use of a novel means of investigating the variables of media bias and reliability, by operationalizing these measures based on the Ad Fontes Media ratings (Ad Fontes Media, 2021) of each dimension for 129 news sources participants could select. We found that media bias and reliability are significant predictors of individuals’ perceptions of false claims regarding COVID-19 preventatives and treatments, COVID-19 severity, and vaccines. False beliefs were, in many cases, significantly correlated with additional false beliefs.