BUSARA GROUNDWORK
SECTOR
Health
PROJECT TYPE
Groundwork
BEHAVIORAL THEME
Sensitizing | Awareness
OVERVIEW
The COVID-19 Infodemic
The infodemic during the COVID-19 pandemic caused confusion, hindered health-seeking behaviors, and eroded trust in health authorities. This groundwork publication explores the global spread of misinformation during the pandemic, laying the foundation for future research and interventions.
It is crucial that we understand the interaction between human behavior and misinformation to effectively combat the spread of misinformation during pandemics or epidemics. The five cognitive biases that significantly impact information acceptance and belief retention are:
- Feelings
- Confirmation bias
- Social norms
- Trust in the source
- Availability Bias
Interventions with These Biases in Mind
When developing interventions it is important to consider these biases, along with the roles of agents, content, and interpreters.
Our literature review and limited empirical work emphasize the need for improved public health information campaigns in displacement settings, considering knowledge gaps, cognitive biases, and advancements in information technology.
Future research should examine how health information is received, focus on trust-building mechanisms and the impact of broken trust, consider emotional mindset and communication actions, recognize individual agency, and address potential livelihood trade-offs. Our research agenda aims to enhance infodemic management and resilience against misinformation in displacement settings.
