Higher dissociation and lower verbal ability predict news-related information sharing on social media

Abstract

Abstract High levels of online activity have been linked with lower critical engagement and cognitive ability as well as lapses in attention and memory. This study examines whether individual differences in cognitive styles and abilities relating to the theoretical framework of distributed cognition predict social media behaviour. In this online study, 784 MTurk participants (55% male) completed measures of social media use, online friendships, need for cognition, dissociative tendencies, and vocabulary. They also answered questions about online news-related information sharing (with and without reading the article). Multiple regression and relative weights analysis show that higher dissociative tendencies and lower verbal ability predict social media use, online friendships and information sharing behaviour. Dissociation was the most important predictor, particularly for sharing news-related information without first reading it, with moderate to large effects. Perceptions of information accuracy and source trustworthiness were identified as key factors in driving information sharing behaviour. Our research has important implications for today’s technological society.

Keywords

• Social cognition
• Cognitive styles
• Individual differences
• Distributed cognition
• Social media