Elisa Matalon L&S Social Sciences
Perceived Control Shapes Susceptibility to False Beliefs
The digital ecosystem of the 21st century is rife with false information, shaping real-world decisions from public health to politics. While past research on misinformation susceptibility has focused on relatively fixed factors like education or socioeconomic status, this risks sentencing large sections of the population to a permanent disadvantage. People do not respond uniformly to objective evidence, highlighting the need to study the internal factors that shape belief. My project investigates the role of perceived agency through the locus of control (LOC), which measures whether individuals see life outcomes as determined by their own actions or by outside forces. Identity-protective cognition theory suggests people adopt information that affirms their sense of agency and disregard information that challenges it. I hypothesize that a more external LOC predicts greater acceptance of misinformation. Because LOC is changeable and has improved outcomes in rehabilitation and patient compliance, my research highlights it as a promising new target for misinformation intervention, focusing on empowering individuals instead of attributing vulnerability to deficits.
Message To Sponsor
Your support has given me the opportunity to combine two of my passions: the role of self-concept in everyday cognition and the interplay between media and knowledge. I hope this project will contribute meaningfully to both learning theory and educational practice. I am truly grateful for your commitment to advancing research in this developing field, which fascinates me and underlies so many critical aspects of human behavior. Thank you for this opportunity— it is an honor to have your support.