Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis
This study challenges ‘gullibility’ as the primary driver of false information engagement. Thematic analysis of 30 interviews in China reveals two themes. Firstly, multifaceted motivations underlying strategic engagement: Individuals intentionally interact with false information for goal attainment,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Social Influence |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15534510.2025.2469704 |
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| _version_ | 1850256884452294656 |
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| author | Wuyao Ding Yan Ge |
| author_facet | Wuyao Ding Yan Ge |
| author_sort | Wuyao Ding |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study challenges ‘gullibility’ as the primary driver of false information engagement. Thematic analysis of 30 interviews in China reveals two themes. Firstly, multifaceted motivations underlying strategic engagement: Individuals intentionally interact with false information for goal attainment, emotional appeasement, rational trade-offs, or pragmatic acceptance of low-stakes content. Secondly, contextual gaps in cognitive adaptation: Susceptibility arises from overthinking under pressure, exploitation of routine behaviors, and technological challenges. Findings reframe ‘gullibility’ as socially constructed through individual-context interactions, advocating for context-sensitive analyses of false information engagement. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b3218d7fb98347d49fa201b71734d14e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1553-4510 1553-4529 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Influence |
| spelling | doaj-art-b3218d7fb98347d49fa201b71734d14e2025-08-20T01:56:32ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSocial Influence1553-45101553-45292025-12-0120110.1080/15534510.2025.2469704Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysisWuyao Ding0Yan Ge1School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, ChinaSchool of Media & Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaThis study challenges ‘gullibility’ as the primary driver of false information engagement. Thematic analysis of 30 interviews in China reveals two themes. Firstly, multifaceted motivations underlying strategic engagement: Individuals intentionally interact with false information for goal attainment, emotional appeasement, rational trade-offs, or pragmatic acceptance of low-stakes content. Secondly, contextual gaps in cognitive adaptation: Susceptibility arises from overthinking under pressure, exploitation of routine behaviors, and technological challenges. Findings reframe ‘gullibility’ as socially constructed through individual-context interactions, advocating for context-sensitive analyses of false information engagement.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15534510.2025.2469704Open Vigilancegullibility assumptioncognitive mechanismsinformation assessmentfalse information |
| spellingShingle | Wuyao Ding Yan Ge Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis Social Influence Open Vigilance gullibility assumption cognitive mechanisms information assessment false information |
| title | Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis |
| title_full | Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis |
| title_fullStr | Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis |
| title_short | Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis |
| title_sort | wise blindness reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis |
| topic | Open Vigilance gullibility assumption cognitive mechanisms information assessment false information |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15534510.2025.2469704 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wuyaoding wiseblindnessreinterpretingfalseinformationengagementthroughathematicanalysis AT yange wiseblindnessreinterpretingfalseinformationengagementthroughathematicanalysis |