A construct that describes the degree to which one desires predictability and structure in the world. Individuals high in PNS view a structured world as a source of meaning. When in situations that threaten structure, individuals will respond with exaggerated cognitive efforts to restore structure. 


Personal Need for Structure (PNS)

Individuals who feel that they have little control over their lives are more likely to attribute fake news to intentional deception.

Threats to personal control and fake news attribution

It is more cognitively appealing to attribute fake news to intentional deceit because humans crave a worldview in which structure and predictability exist. Assuming intentional malice makes fake news more predictable than attributing fake news to random error.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Pepperdine University

A majority of Americans believe traditional news sources are knowingly publishing incorrect or misleading information.

Attributing fake news to intentional deception

Axt, J. R., Landau, M. J., & Kay, A. C. (2020). Fake news attributions as a source of nonspecific structure. In R. Greifeneder, M. Jaffé, E. J. Newman, & N. Schwarz (Eds.), The psychology of fake news: Accepting, sharing, and correcting misinformation (pp. 220–234). London: Routledge. 

Fake news attributions as a source of nonspecific structure

Why attributing fake news to intentional deception is appealing

Individuals high in PNS are more likely to attribute fake news to willful deception than those with lower levels of PNS. Studies found a consistent positive relationship (causal and correlational) between PNS and the belief that news sources actively try to deceive their audiences. This finding was true for situations when the information supported and combatted one's existing beliefs.

The causal relationship between high PNS and attributing fake news to willful deception

1. Stimulate feelings of structure and control. This can be done by prompting one to consider a time when they felt a high level of control in their life. Social media also provides a sense of structure - individuals can interact with people they know and curate a personal stream of information.

2. Encourage individuals to tailor their social media usage and settings to their preference. This may increase feelings of control and structure which then decreases attributions of intentional deception. (The downside to this is that as social media becomes more tailored to peoples' preferences, they receive their sense of control from a filter bubble).

3. Increase the public’s trust in journalism. This can be done by improving transparency and general understanding of journalistic practices.

4. Redirect one’s desire for structure away from news media.


Ways to mitigate attributions of intentional deception

Breaking it down politically:
- 92% of Republicans
- 79% of Independents
- 53% of Democrats 
believe that traditional news media intentionally attempts to deceive or mislead the public.

Political affiliation and the belief that mainstream news media is intentionally deceptive

Although mainstream media has traditionally been viewed as more credible and a trustworthy source for health and news information, few people have confidence in the media to act in the public's best interest

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