Combatting Climate Disinformation: Comparing the Effectiveness of Correction Placement and Type

In this study, we investigated whether corrections can combat climate
disinformation. Using a preregistered quota-based online experiment in
Germany (N = 1401), we tested how the effectiveness of disinformation
correction in reducing climate misperceptions was influenced by
correction placement (prebunking or debunking) and correction type
(focused on facts, logic, or the combination of both). We investigated
how populist radical-right (PRR) attitudes moderate the effect of
disinformation correction and whether correction alleviates the negative
effects of disinformation on efficacy beliefs to mitigate climate change
(EBMCC) through reduced misperceptions. All debunking conditions
and the logic-focused prebunking condition significantly reduced
climate misperceptions. Prebunking was only effective under the logic-
focused correction condition. We found no moderating effect of PRR
attitudes on climate misperceptions, suggesting that corrections
similarly benefitted all participants. In addition, a significant indirect
effect of corrections was observed on EBMCC via climate misperceptions.