Articles By

Michael Hameleers

Research Note

Misinformation perceived as a bigger informational threat than negativity: A cross-country survey on challenges of the news environment

Toni G. L. A. van der Meer and Michael Hameleers

This study integrates research on negativity bias and misinformation, as a comparison of how systematic (negativity) and incidental (misinformation) challenges to the news are perceived differently by audiences. Through a cross-country survey, we found that both challenges are perceived as highly salient and disruptive.

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Where’s the fake news at? European news consumers’ perceptions of misinformation across information sources and topics

Michael Hameleers, Anna Brosius and Claes H. de Vreese

This study indicates that news users across ten different European countries are quite concerned about misinformation in their information environment. Respondents are most likely to associate politicians, corporations, and foreign actors with misinformation. They perceive misinformation to be most common for topics like immigration, the economy, and the environment.

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COVID-19

Feeling “disinformed” lowers compliance with COVID-19 guidelines: Evidence from the US, UK, Netherlands, and Germany

Michael Hameleers, Toni G. L. A. van der Meer and Anna Brosius

This study indicates that, during the first phase of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in 2020, citizens from the US, UK, Netherlands, and Germany experienced relatively high levels of mis- and disinformation in their general information environment. We asked respondents to indicate the extent to which they experienced that information on coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, COVID-19) was simply inaccurate (misinformation) or intentionally misleading (disinformation).

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