Predicting Misinformation Belief: The Roles of Empathy and Intellectual Humility

• In Event: Conspiracies and Misinformation in Comparative Political Psychology

Abstract

Amid widespread concern regarding the consequences of rising political hostility and belief in misinformation, intellectual humility has enjoyed increasing attention for its potential role mitigating the harmful consequences of these dynamics (Leary, 2022; Porter et al., 2022). Other research also demonstrates a growing interest in, and controversy surrounding, the potential role of empathy in improving intergroup attitudes (Batson & Ahmad, 2009; Bloom, 2017; Morris, 2019; Schutte & Stilinović, 2017). Using data from the 2022 CES, this study contributes to this literature by examining the potential relationship between empathy and belief in misinformation, as well as the potential moderating role of intellectual humility in predicting belief in misinformation.

Background:
Empathy, or the cognitive and emotional ability to experience the perspective and emotional trials of another person as one’s own, is associated with greater altruistic and prosocial behaviors (Pavey et al. 2012). Theorized to reduce intergroup hostility in various ways, including more positive feelings and concern for welfare of outgroups (Batson & Ahmad, 2009), some scholars highlight the problematic nature of empathy as a narrow and biased spotlight of attention (Bloom, 2017). Recent work suggests that the effectiveness of interventions to increase empathy may require the correction of misinformation beliefs in order to be effective in reducing support for policies which harm perceived outgroups (Moore-Berg et al., 2022). Furthermore, previous research found a positive relationship between empathy and habitual susceptibility to misinformation (Tomes & Katz, 1997).
We seek to extend this line of inquiry by examining whether there may be a relationship between empathy and belief in misinformation which changes as a function of intellectual humility. Associated with greater openness to and reduced derogation of those with opposing views, intellectual humility reflects the extent to which people acknowledge their cognitive limitations and are willing to revise their views when faced with disconfirming information, which manifests in higher accuracy motivations and reduced belief in misinformation (Leary, 2022; Porter et al., 2022; Koetke et al., 2021). If biases direct empathy toward those whom people perceive as closer to them, then this may potentially exacerbate belief in misinformation which favors those with whom people empathize more easily. In contrast, people with greater intellectual humility may be better equipped to counteract the effects of such biases, reducing susceptibility to belief in misinformation.

Data:
Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 784) recruited through the 2022 Cooperative Election Study conducted by YouGov in the fall of 2022 (Schaffner et al., 2023), this study examines 1) whether, among self-identified Republicans, those who are higher in empathy report greater belief in misinformation regarding the “Big Lie,” and 2) whether this relationship is contingent on having lower levels of intellectual humility.

Authors

• Brooke Molokach, University of Delaware

• Dannagal G. Young, University of Delaware