11/5/24, 12:02 PM Misinformation and disinformation
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& DATABASES & & CAREER ADVOCACY
PRACTICE
Misinformation and
disinformation
Misinformation is false or inaccurate
information—getting the facts wrong.
Disinformation is false information
which is deliberately intended to mislead
—intentionally misstating the facts.
The spread of misinformation and
disinformation (/pubs/reports/health-
misinformation) has affected our ability to
improve public health, address climate
change, maintain a stable democracy,
and more. By providing valuable insight
into how and why we are likely to believe
misinformation and disinformation,
psychological science can inform how
we protect ourselves against its ill
effects.
Report
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11/5/24, 12:02 PM Misinformation and disinformation
Using psychological
science to
understand and
fight health
misinformation
This report describes the best available
psychological science on misinformation,
particularly as it relates to health.
It offers eight specific recommendations
to help scientists, policymakers, and
health professionals respond to the
ongoing threats posed by misinformation.
(/pubs/reports/health-misinformation)
Eight specific Factors that How and why Interventions
ways to make people does to counter
combat believe misinformatio misinformatio
misinformatio misinformatio spread? (/topics/journalism-
(/topics/journalism- (/topics/journalism- (/topics/journalism- facts/misinformation-
facts/misinformation- facts/misinformation- facts/how-why- interventions)
recommendations) belief-action) misinformation-
spreads)
APA resolution
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11/5/24, 12:02 PM Misinformation and disinformation
Combating misinformation and (/about/policy/combating-
promoting psychological science misinformation-promoting-
literacy)
literacy
Approved by APA Council of Representatives,
February 2024
Resources from APA
Teaching Combating Is it safe to Misinformatio
students health get health and
critical misinformatio advice from psychological
thinking Experts are influencers? science
skills to studying how Learning to be a literacy
combat false information critical consumer Resolution
spreads, who is of information
misinformatio encourages
most vulnerable, and thinking efforts to raise
K–12 students
and how to end before you share public awareness
need skills to
the “infodemic” can help protect about the
identify
monitor/2024/07/endin everyone from psychological
falsehoods and
alth-misinformation) false information mechanisms
recognize
online. underpinning
misleading
(/topics/journalism- misinformation
content
facts/false-health- about/policy/combatin
monitor/2024/09/med
information) sinformation-
eracy-misinformation)
omoting-literacy)
MORE RESOURCES ABOUT MISINFORMATION (HTTPS://WWW.APA.ORG/SEARCH?
QUERY=MISINFORMATION)
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11/5/24, 12:02 PM Misinformation and disinformation
Videos
(https://youtu.be/quO2LzBptUE) (https://youtu.be/q3AzcnhkSTo)
Podcasts
Stopping the The Why people How to
spread of psychology believe in recognize
misinformatio of science conspiracy and combat
news/podcasts/speakin denial, theories “fake news”
psychology/stopping- doubt, and news/podcasts/speakin news/podcasts/speakin
read-misinformation) disbelief psychology/conspiracy psychology/combat-
news/podcasts/speakin eories) ke-news)
psychology/science-
nial-disbelief)
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11/5/24, 12:02 PM Misinformation and disinformation
MORE PODCASTS ABOUT MISINFORMATION (HTTPS://WWW.APA.ORG/SEARCH?
QUERY=MISINFORMATION&DOCUMENTTYPE=PODCAST&SORT=RELEVANCE)
News from APA
Psychological Americans APA supports Lies that
science can share fake right of ‘might’
help counter news to fit in educators to eventually
spread of with social do their jobs come true
misinformatio circles without seem less
says APA Fear of exclusion political unethical
report contributes to interference People could be
Details systemic spread of fake Attacks on willing to forgive,
and individual news, research teaching of spread
strategies finds diversity, equity misinformation
s/releases/2023/11/ps /press/releases/2023/0 and inclusion they think might
nformation-disinforma ocial-circles) undermine become true in
profession, hurt the future, study
students, says says
APA president /press/releases/2022/0
ess/releases/2023/02/ ome-true-unethical)
al-interference)
MORE NEWS ABOUT MISINFORMATION (HTTPS://WWW.APA.ORG/SEARCH?
QUERY=MISINFORMATION&DOCUMENTTYPE=PRESS+RELEASE&SORT=RELEVANCE)
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11/5/24, 12:02 PM Misinformation and disinformation
What APA is doing
GUIDE FOR JOURNALISTS
Using psychological
science to fight
misinformation
Challenging mis- and disinformation is
more important than ever
(/topics/journalism-facts/psychology-
misinformation-guide-journalists)
APA publications
True or
False?
$26.99
ubs/magination/t
e)
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