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Science denial and medical misinformation in pandemic times: a psycho-criminological analysis

Science denial and medical misinformation in pandemic times: a psycho-criminological analysis
Science denial and medical misinformation in pandemic times: a psycho-criminological analysis
This study integrates criminological social learning and psychological explanations of individual factors and mechanisms for science denial to offer an individual-level analysis of ‘alternative lifestyle’ subcultural groups in cyberspace in order to understand the assimilation, success and proliferation of potentially dangerous health-related misinformation. Through a rigorous passive online ethnography of two relevant self-identifying ‘alternative lifestyle’ Italian- and English-speaking online communities observed over the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed the unfolding of online narratives and behavioural intentions of criminological and psychological interest. We identified in our data both individual factors and mechanisms for science denial and clues to social learning, and we showed how they interrelate. Furthermore, by looking at the linguistic and visual resources used to shape how participants think through social learning mechanisms, we identified four main narrative frames: informative; oppositional; empathetic; and agency and spirituality. The findings of this study provide a more comprehensive understanding of the reasons for and mechanisms behind medical misinformation online and suggest ways to mitigate the related harms.
COVID-19, Social learning, medical misinformation, online ethnography, science denial, social media
1477-3708
Lavorgna, Anita
6e34317e-2dda-42b9-8244-14747695598c
Myles, Heather
7f2e8e95-c32c-4c9f-8845-573b715825dd
Lavorgna, Anita
6e34317e-2dda-42b9-8244-14747695598c
Myles, Heather
7f2e8e95-c32c-4c9f-8845-573b715825dd

Lavorgna, Anita and Myles, Heather (2021) Science denial and medical misinformation in pandemic times: a psycho-criminological analysis. European Journal of Criminology. (doi:10.1177/1477370820988832).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This study integrates criminological social learning and psychological explanations of individual factors and mechanisms for science denial to offer an individual-level analysis of ‘alternative lifestyle’ subcultural groups in cyberspace in order to understand the assimilation, success and proliferation of potentially dangerous health-related misinformation. Through a rigorous passive online ethnography of two relevant self-identifying ‘alternative lifestyle’ Italian- and English-speaking online communities observed over the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed the unfolding of online narratives and behavioural intentions of criminological and psychological interest. We identified in our data both individual factors and mechanisms for science denial and clues to social learning, and we showed how they interrelate. Furthermore, by looking at the linguistic and visual resources used to shape how participants think through social learning mechanisms, we identified four main narrative frames: informative; oppositional; empathetic; and agency and spirituality. The findings of this study provide a more comprehensive understanding of the reasons for and mechanisms behind medical misinformation online and suggest ways to mitigate the related harms.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 2021
e-pub ahead of print date: 22 January 2021
Additional Information: Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2021.
Keywords: COVID-19, Social learning, medical misinformation, online ethnography, science denial, social media

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 446552
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/446552
ISSN: 1477-3708
PURE UUID: 03f611b2-3b10-49ac-bd19-cad1d6cfc98f
ORCID for Anita Lavorgna: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8484-1613

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 15 Feb 2021 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:39

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Contributors

Author: Anita Lavorgna ORCID iD
Author: Heather Myles

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