An online experiment examining Chinese young adults’ responses to misinformation about the HPV vaccines

Abstract

This study examined Chinese young adults’ cognitive and affective responses to conspiracy social media messages about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. A 4 (misinformation frames) × 2 (message sources) online experiment identified three major findings. First, regarding message sources, young adults perceived a state-owned news media outlet to be more credible than a popular science organization, but the two message sources did not result in different message believability or affective responses. Second, uncertainty, profit-making, and nationalist conspiracy frames led to different perceived source credibility (PSC), message believability, fear, and anger. Finally, social media use did not affect PSC or message believability, but was associated with affective responses. The research findings exemplified the combined effects of vaccine-related health misinformation, providing novel insights into the complexity and nuances of health communication in developing countries.