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Online Rumor Transmission Among Younger and Older Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Lingnan He
  • Haoshen Yang
  • Xiling Xiong
  • Kaisheng Lai
Abstract
Social media not only leads to efficient dissemination of information but also facilitates the spread of rumors. However, it remains unknown whether and how WeChat use influences rumor transmission. Using a nationwide sample of Chinese adults ( N = 9,368), we applied a moderated mediation model to examine whether the relationship among WeChat use, rumor anxiety, and rumor transmission intention varies with age. Our findings show that frequent use of WeChat decreased young adults’ intention to transmit rumors by alleviating rumor anxiety, whereas in older adults, it increased this intention by increasing rumor anxiety. Among older adults, WeChat use had not only a direct effect on facilitating rumor transmission intention but also indirect effects through increased rumor anxiety. Our findings suggest that older adults are dissimilar from younger adults in terms of their level of vulnerability to believing rumors and the way they fall for rumors.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingnan He & Haoshen Yang & Xiling Xiong & Kaisheng Lai, 2019. "Online Rumor Transmission Among Younger and Older Adults," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(3), pages 21582440198, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:9:y:2019:i:3:p:2158244019876273
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244019876273
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicholas DiFonzo, 2013. "Rumour research can douse digital wildfires," Nature, Nature, vol. 493(7431), pages 135-135, January.
    2. Reijo Savolainen, 2011. "Judging the quality and credibility of information in Internet discussion forums," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(7), pages 1243-1256, July.
    3. Sejeong Kwon & Meeyoung Cha & Kyomin Jung, 2017. "Rumor Detection over Varying Time Windows," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Reijo Savolainen, 2011. "Judging the quality and credibility of information in Internet discussion forums," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(7), pages 1243-1256, July.
    5. Laijun Zhao & Jiajia Wang & Rongbing Huang, 2015. "Immunization against the Spread of Rumors in Homogenous Networks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, May.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Haixia Wang & Xiqian Zou & Kaisheng Lai & Weiping Luo & Lingnan He, 2021. "Does Quality of Life Act as a Protective Factor against Believing Health Rumors? Evidence from a National Cross-Sectional Survey in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-10, April.
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    Keywords

    age; anxiety; rumor; social media; WeChat;
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