Misinformation, political preferences, and cognitive traits: a look at the Brazilian electorate

Abstract

To contribute to the expanding literature on misinformation in contexts beyond developed countries, this article seeks answers to questions such as: Who are the individuals more susceptible to misinformation? What determines such a vulnerability? This research employs a sample of Brazilian voters surveyed between May and June 2019, and it concludes that partisan preferences alone do not explain susceptibility to misinformation. The impact of partisanship on proneness to misinformation is moderated by analytical ability, need for cognition, and political knowledge. People with high levels of these attributes tend to be more capable of evaluating information through the lens of their political beliefs. Furthermore, the findings suggest that individuals with the highest trust in professional journalism may be less prone to misinformation.