Cao Y, Ke Q*. How Misinformation Manipulates Individuals: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis Based on 185 Cases. In: Sserwanga I, et al., eds. Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win. iConference 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14597. Springer, Cham, 2024.

Abstract: Exploring how misinformation manipulates individuals can reveal the logic of information manipulation and help better deal with the spread of different kinds of misinformation online including AIGC misinformation. To that end, this study conducted a reflexive thematic analysis based on 185 misinformation cases. The study found that there are 6 main manipulation mechanisms and 13 strategies behind misinformation. The 6 main mechanisms include providing clues to indicate credibility, reducing the psychological distance, expression of emotions to control the heuristic cognition, simplifying the difficulty of understanding, making content vivid to stimulate cognition and behavior manipulation. According to the result of reflexive thematic analysis, the misinformation manipulation model has been established. The results are helpful to fight misinformation online.

Keywords: Misinformation; Manipulate; Manipulation Mechanism