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Online Rumor Transmission Among Younger and Older Adults

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  • Lingnan He
  • Haoshen Yang
  • Xiling Xiong
  • Kaisheng Lai

Abstract

Social media not only leads to efficient dissemination of information but also facilitates the spread of rumors. However, it remains unknown whether and how WeChat use influences rumor transmission. Using a nationwide sample of Chinese adults ( N = 9,368), we applied a moderated mediation model to examine whether the relationship among WeChat use, rumor anxiety, and rumor transmission intention varies with age. Our findings show that frequent use of WeChat decreased young adults’ intention to transmit rumors by alleviating rumor anxiety, whereas in older adults, it increased this intention by increasing rumor anxiety. Among older adults, WeChat use had not only a direct effect on facilitating rumor transmission intention but also indirect effects through increased rumor anxiety. Our findings suggest that older adults are dissimilar from younger adults in terms of their level of vulnerability to believing rumors and the way they fall for rumors.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingnan He & Haoshen Yang & Xiling Xiong & Kaisheng Lai, 2019. "Online Rumor Transmission Among Younger and Older Adults," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(3), pages 21582440198, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:9:y:2019:i:3:p:2158244019876273
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244019876273
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sejeong Kwon & Meeyoung Cha & Kyomin Jung, 2017. "Rumor Detection over Varying Time Windows," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, January.
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    3. Reijo Savolainen, 2011. "Judging the quality and credibility of information in Internet discussion forums," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(7), pages 1243-1256, July.
    4. Reijo Savolainen, 2011. "Judging the quality and credibility of information in Internet discussion forums," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(7), pages 1243-1256, July.
    5. Nicholas DiFonzo, 2013. "Rumour research can douse digital wildfires," Nature, Nature, vol. 493(7431), pages 135-135, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tushar Bharati & Adnan M. S. Fakir & Wina Yoman, 2024. "Internal Migration and Labor Market Outcomes in Indonesia," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(2), pages 997-1040.
    2. Haixia Wang & Xiqian Zou & Kaisheng Lai & Weiping Luo & Lingnan He, 2021. "Does Quality of Life Act as a Protective Factor against Believing Health Rumors? Evidence from a National Cross-Sectional Survey in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-10, April.
    3. Kris Hartley & Minh Khuong Vu, 2020. "Fighting fake news in the COVID-19 era: policy insights from an equilibrium model," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 53(4), pages 735-758, December.
    4. Lingnan He & Yue Chen & Xiling Xiong & Xiqian Zou & Kaisheng Lai, 2021. "Does Science Literacy Guarantee Resistance to Health Rumors? The Moderating Effect of Self-Efficacy of Science Literacy in the Relationship between Science Literacy and Rumor Belief," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-10, February.

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    Keywords

    age; anxiety; rumor; social media; WeChat;
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