The ineffectiveness of fact-checking interventions to reduce fake news sharing for low conscientiousness conservatives along with related motivating factors of a desire to cause chaos and news concordance indicate that low consciousness conservatives intentionally share fake news. These findings suggest that fact-checking interventions may be ineffective in deterring low consciousness conservatives from sharing fake news.

Inadequacy of Fact-Checking Interventions on Fake News Sharing

The interaction between political ideology and conscientiousness in the sharing of fake news was found to be influenced by a desire to cause chaos. A desire to cause chaos was found to drive the interaction rather than promotion of conservative policies, media distrust, support for Donald Trump, or amount of social media consumption. 

Ohio State University, Columbus

The propensity for conservatives to share fake news is largely driven by conservatives low in conscientiousness. No differences were found among people high in conscientiousness with opposing political ideologies. 

Sharing Fake News: Interaction of Political Ideology and Conscientiousness

Lawson, M. A., & Kakkar, H. (2021). Of pandemics, politics, and personality: The role of conscientiousness and political ideology in the sharing of fake news. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/10.1037/xge0001120.supp (Supplemental) 

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