The Irony of Sophisticated Citizens and Misinformation

Explaining How People with High Need for Cognition Become Politically Cynical

Bibliographic Data

ID22010860
AuthorsD H Kim (0000-0001-6060-6686, Korea University, corresponding author), Kate Kenski (0000-0002-6064-791X, University of Arizona), M Jones-Jang (0000-0003-3935-7421, Boston College)
Year2026
Volume14
Issue3
Pages531-549
Publication date2026-03-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDigital Journalism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2167-0811 • E-ISSN: 2167-082X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/21670811.2025.2556183
OpenAlexW4414062134
LanguageEN
References cited30

Although prior studies demonstrate that less politically sophisticated citizens tend to fall for “fake news,” it is less clear how high need for cognition citizens who enjoy effortful thinking are influenced by misinformation. To address this gap, the current study analyzes data from a two-wave panel survey collected before and after the 2020 presidential election in the U.S. Our model explains (a) how social media news use increases political cynicism through perceived misinformation exposure and (b) how need for cognition shapes this path to cynicism. Results suggest that the path to political cynicism emerges only among high need for cognition individuals. These supposedly sophisticated citizens grow cynical not only toward politicians and the media, but also toward voters

Cognition · Irony · Legitimacy · Motivated reasoning · Politics · Sensemaking · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Media and Politics

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