The Relationship between Bullshit Receptivity and Willingness to Share Misinformation about Climate Change: The Moderating Role of Pregnancy

Kaisheng Lai, Yingxin Yang, Yuxiang Na and Haixia Wang ()
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Kaisheng Lai: School of Journalism and Communication, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Yingxin Yang: School of Journalism and Communication, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Yuxiang Na: School of Journalism and Communication, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Haixia Wang: School of Journalism and Communication, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-14

Abstract: Widespread dissemination of misinformation about climate change has seriously harmed the health of future generations and the world. Moreover, misinformation-sharing behaviors exhibit strong individual characteristics. However, research is limited on the antecedents of and mechanism underlying the willingness to share misinformation about climate change in terms of individual personalities and physiological states. Accordingly, we surveyed 582 women (224 pregnant) using a questionnaire and constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the relationships among individuals’ bullshit receptivity, belief in misinformation about climate change, willingness to share misinformation about climate change, and pregnancy. The results showed that: (1) bullshit receptivity is positively related to the willingness to share misinformation about climate change; (2) belief in misinformation about climate change mediates the relationship between bullshit receptivity and willingness to share misinformation about climate change; and (3) for individuals with higher bullshit receptivity, pregnancy exacerbates the detrimental effects of bullshit receptivity on belief in misinformation about climate change.

Keywords: pregnancy; bullshit receptivity; belief in misinformation about climate change; willingness to share misinformation about climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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