Good Systems Postdoc Research Presentation Series - Effect of social correction on vaccine skeptics’ intention to take a COVID-19 vaccine

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Social correction is one way of correcting health misinformation on social media, especially during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on source credibility theory and two step flow theory, an online experiment was performed in Apr-May 2021 among 566 vaccine skeptic U.S. adults to examine whether the interaction of correction source (i.e., individual vs doctor vs nurse) and correction delivery (i.e., misinformation only as control vs rebuttal vs priming) affects intention to take COVID-19 vaccine after accounting for information evaluation, perceived expertise, and vaccine skepticism. Results suggest the need for social media users, whether they are experts or non-experts, to engage in social correction.