People with conservative political leanings more likely to believe in health disinformation, study finds
Sanjukta Mondal
contributing writer
Sadie Harley
scientific editor
Robert Egan
associate editor
Individuals who like to think critically are better at identifying false information online, while those with conservative political affiliations struggle more with detecting fake medical information on social media, according to a PLOS One .
Iowa State University researcher Joey F. George analyzed responses from 508 American participants who reviewed 10 different social media posts that covered diverse health topics with both honest and disinforming claims, with 60% of them falling under the second category.
After viewing the videos and making their honesty judgments, participants were asked to record their responses through online surveys, selecting up to eight reasons from a predefined list. These reasons included the reliability of the source, whether claims were supported by evidence or based on opinion, and the presence or absence of credentials.
Overall, people detected health disinformation with 66% accuracy. This performance is troubling, especially with the world living through an infodemic, a flood of online information where fact and fiction mix freely. Finding trustworthy health guidance online has become increasingly difficult, owing to black box–like social media algorithms that amplify accurate and misleading posts alike.
The COVID-19 pandemic made quite evident the dangers of health disinformation spreading online. Misleading health advice in digital spaces is not just a matter of debate anymore, it is a pressing public health concern with serious real-world consequences.
Previous studies have shown that political leanings can be an indicator of how a person fares at spotting false information online. More recent research, however, highlights a personality trait known as need for cognition—the tendency to seek out and enjoy analytical thinking—as an even stronger predictor.
So, the study set out to answer the question: Does political affiliation or need for cognition play the dominant role in the ability to accurately discern disinformation in social media posts?
Two online surveys were conducted in the study. Each survey presented a different version of 10 unique health-related social media posts, for a total of 20 posts across both surveys.
The participant pool was balanced across gender and political affiliation, with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans each making up almost one-third. Ages ranged from 18 to 92, with over 40% of participants above the age of 60.
The results indicated that those with a high need for cognition were significantly better at identifying false information. At the same time, political leanings influenced how certain posts were perceived, particularly on polarizing topics such as COVID-19 vaccines and FDA warnings about drugs like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.
The researchers note that the nature of the current infodemic calls for deeper investigation into how disinformation on health issues affects people's everyday lives.
Written for you by our author , edited by , and fact-checked and reviewed by —this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.
More information: Joey F. George, Political affiliation or need for cognition? It depends on the post: Comparing key factors related to detecting health disinformation in the U.S., PLOS One (2025).
Journal information: PLoS ONE
© 2025 Science X Network
