Psychologists at Cambridge Develop Test Tool to Measure Misinformation Vulnerability

Liputan6.com, Jakarta – Psychologists at the University of Cambridge have made new strides in the fight against online misinformation. They have developed and validated a misinformation vulnerability test tool (misinformation susceptibility testMIST).

Basically, the test kit is a simple quiz that can determine an individual’s susceptibility to the misinformation and hoaxes that are flooding the digital space in about two minutes.

Over the course of two years, the team conducted a series of trials involving more than 8,000 participants to find out how effective MIST was. In an effort to assess Americans’ vulnerability to misinformation, polling organization YouGov conducted the test for the first time.

The results of the pilot survey, which used 20 MIST points, revealed that the average adult US citizen correctly identified two-thirds (65 percent) of the headlines presented to them as real or fake.

Interestingly, the findings challenge public beliefs around online misinformation. Contrary to popular opinion, the study highlighted that younger adults are less adept at discriminating against misinformation than their older counterparts at discriminating against fake news.

In addition, individuals who spent more time engaging in online activities were less able to distinguish genuine news from misinformation.

The researchers emphasized the urgency of tackling the growing threat of misinformation in the digital age. They note that false information often contributes to the establishment of polarized belief systems in major nations, with potentially dire consequences, such as an attempted rebellion on Capitol Hill.

Professor Sander van der Linden, Head of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab and senior author of the study emphasizes the need for integrated vulnerability measurement to fake news to combat this problem effectively. He considers MIST an important tool in understanding the best strategies for fighting misinformation.

The research paper appears in the journal Behavior Research Methods, accompanied by a poll report published on the YouGov website. In an effort to engage the public and raise awareness, researchers are encouraging individuals to test their own vulnerabilities using MIST.

The user-friendly test address at involves participants selecting “true” or “false” against 20 stories provided and generates a score and rating of “resilience” that is comparable to the broader US population.

Facebook is the social media with the largest number of users in the world. Of course, various kinds of information are circulating there, including misinformation. How does Facebook’s strategy address this?