Retractions: Updating from Complex Information

Duarte Gonçalves, Jonathan Libgober and Jack Willis ()
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Jack Willis: ECON - Département d'économie (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CEPR - Center for Economic Policy Research, NBER - National Bureau of Economic Research [New York] - NBER - The National Bureau of Economic Research, J-PAL Europe - Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab - Europe, Columbia University [New York]

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Abstract: We modify a canonical experimental design to identify the effectiveness of retractions. Comparing beliefs after retractions to beliefs (1) without the retracted information and (2) after equivalent new information, we find that retractions result in diminished belief updating in both cases. We propose this reflects updating from retractions being more complex, and our analysis supports this: we find longer response times, lower accuracy, and higher variability. The results—robust across diverse participant groups and design variations—enhance our understanding of belief updating and offer insights into addressing misinformation.

Date: 2026-01-13
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Published in Review of Economic Studies, 2026, 93 (1), pp.476-516. ⟨10.1093/restud/rdaf032⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:spmain:hal-05514679

DOI: 10.1093/restud/rdaf032

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