Consensus, Disagreements, and Open Questions in the Psychology of Misinformation

Research on misinformation has expanded rapidly over the past decade. This review examines areas of consensus and contention within the literature on misinformation, with particular attention to conceptual definitions, measurement approaches, and theoretical explanations. We outline views on what it means to be susceptible to misinformation and advocate for assessing susceptibility by focusing on the ability to discern true from false claims. Although exposure to fake news is less common online than many think, we argue that misinformation—more broadly construed—continues to be a major problem. We review evidence on cognitive and socio-affective mechanisms underlying susceptibility to misinformation, including repetition effects, lack of analytic reasoning, political identity, and information environments. We also evaluate interventions such as fact-checking, prebunking, psychological inoculation, and accuracy prompts. Overall, the literature reveals several robust findings but also significant methodological limitations and theoretical disagreements that suggest fruitful future directions for misinformation research.