Cognitive and Emotional Inoculation Against Nutrition-Related Misinformation in Young Adults
4. září 2026 aktualizováno: Beijing Normal University
Cognitive and Emotional Inoculation Against Nutrition-Related Misinformation in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This study aims to examine the effects of cognitive and emotional inoculation interventions on young adults' ability to identify and respond to nutrition-related misinformation on social media.
The study will compare two game-based inoculation approaches-a cognitive inoculation intervention and an emotional inoculation intervention-with a control condition.
Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 2 weeks later.
Přehled studie
Postavení
Zatím nenabíráme
Detailní popis
Nutrition-related misinformation is increasingly disseminated through social media and may influence how young adults perceive and make decisions about food, diet, and health. Such misinformation may rely not only on inaccurate or unsupported claims but also on persuasive communication techniques, including appeals to authority, unrealistic promises, fear appeals, conspiracy narratives, and absolute or dichotomous framing. These techniques may influence judgments by eliciting trust, desire, anxiety, anger, or decision-related pressure.
This three-arm randomized controlled trial will compare two game-based inoculation interventions-a cognitive inoculation intervention and an emotional inoculation intervention-with a control condition. Participants will encounter common persuasive techniques used in nutrition-related misinformation and receive condition-specific feedback. The cognitive intervention is designed to promote recognition of misleading techniques and verification of supporting evidence. The emotional intervention is designed to promote recognition of emotional cues associated with manipulative messages and reflection on how such cues may influence judgment. The study will assess participants' responses to nutrition-related social media posts at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 2 weeks later to examine both immediate and sustained effects.
Typ studie
Intervenční
Zápis (Odhadovaný)
330
Fáze
- Nelze použít
Kontakty a umístění
Tato část poskytuje kontaktní údaje pro ty, kteří studii provádějí, a informace o tom, kde se tato studie provádí.
Studijní kontakt
- Jméno: Xue Weng
- Telefonní číslo: 3621259
- E-mail: xueweng@bnu.edu.cn
Studijní místa
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Guangdong
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Zhuhai, Guangdong, Čína, 519087
- Beijing Normal University
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Kritéria účasti
Výzkumníci hledají lidi, kteří odpovídají určitému popisu, kterému se říká kritéria způsobilosti. Některé příklady těchto kritérií jsou celkový zdravotní stav osoby nebo předchozí léčba.
Kritéria způsobilosti
Věk způsobilý ke studiu
- Dospělý
Přijímá zdravé dobrovolníky
Ne
Popis
Inclusion Criteria:
- Aged 18 to 30 years.
- Able to read and understand Chinese.
- Able to access and independently complete the online intervention game and study questionnaires.
- Has access to WeChat for study communication and follow-up reminders.
- Provides electronic informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Younger than 18 years or older than 30 years.
- Unable to read Chinese or independently complete the online study procedures.
- Does not provide electronic informed consent.
Studijní plán
Tato část poskytuje podrobnosti o studijním plánu, včetně toho, jak je studie navržena a co studie měří.
Jak je studie koncipována?
Detaily designu
- Primární účel: Prevence
- Přidělení: Randomizované
- Intervenční model: Paralelní přiřazení
- Maskování: Singl
Zbraně a zásahy
Skupina účastníků / Arm |
Intervence / Léčba |
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Experimentální: Cognitive Inoculation
Cognitive Game-Based Inoculation
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Participants will complete a five-level interactive game designed to build resistance to nutrition-related misinformation on social media.
In each level, participants act as a health-content creator and choose between an original social media post and alternative titles that may use misleading persuasive techniques.
The game addresses five techniques: fake authority, impossible expectations, fear appeals, conspiracy framing, and false dichotomies.
After each decision, participants receive cognitive feedback explaining how the misleading technique operates, the linguistic cues that may indicate its use, and how to evaluate whether the claim is supported by verifiable evidence.
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Experimentální: Affective Inoculation
Emotional Game-Based Inoculation
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Participants will complete a five-level interactive game designed to build resistance to nutrition-related misinformation on social media.
The game uses the same scenarios and addresses the same five misleading techniques as the cognitive inoculation intervention: fake authority, impossible expectations, fear appeals, conspiracy framing, and false dichotomies.
After each decision, participants receive emotional feedback designed to help them recognize and reflect on the emotional cues triggered by manipulative messages, including unwarranted reassurance, desire, anxiety, anger, and pressure to make extreme choices.
The feedback explains how these emotional responses may influence judgment of nutrition-related information.
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Aktivní komparátor: General Nutrition Education
General Nutrition Health Education
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Participants will read eight brief sections of general nutrition health education adapted from the Chinese Dietary Guidelines (2022).
This condition provides credible healthy-diet information without instruction about nutrition-related misinformation, persuasive techniques, evidence verification, fact-checking, or emotional manipulation cues.
The sections cover dietary variety; energy balance and physical activity; fruit and vegetable intake; animal-source foods; limiting salt, oil, sugar, and alcohol; regular meals and adequate hydration; food selection, label reading, and food hygiene; and sustainable dietary practices.
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Co je měření studie?
Primární výstupní opatření
Měření výsledku |
Popis opatření |
Časové okno |
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Manipulation-Technique Recognition Accuracy
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in the accuracy of recognizing manipulation techniques in nutrition-related social-media information will be assessed using simulated posts containing both misleading and accurate content.
Participants will identify the persuasion or manipulation technique used in each post, or indicate that no misleading technique is present.
Higher scores indicate better recognition accuracy.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Perceived Credibility of Nutrition-Related Misinformation
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in perceived credibility of nutrition-related misinformation will be assessed using simulated social-media posts about diet and health.
Participants will rate the perceived credibility of each post using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all credible) to 7 (extremely credible).
Higher scores indicate greater perceived credibility of nutrition-related misinformation, representing a worse outcome.
Lower scores indicate lower perceived credibility of nutrition-related misinformation.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Sekundární výstupní opatření
Měření výsledku |
Popis opatření |
Časové okno |
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Intention to Share Nutrition-Related Misinformation
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in willingness to share nutrition-related misinformation will be assessed using simulated social-media posts about diet and health.
Participants will rate their willingness to share the information with others on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very unlikely) to 7 (very likely).
Higher scores indicate greater intention to share nutrition-related misinformation and represent a worse outcome.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Intention to Fact-Check Nutrition-Related Information
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in intention to verify nutrition-related information will be assessed using simulated social-media posts about diet and health.
Participants will rate the extent to which they would check whether the information is accurate or supported by reliable evidence on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very unlikely) to 7 (very likely).
Higher scores indicate greater intention to fact-check nutrition-related information and represent a better outcome.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Perceived Manipulativeness
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in perceived manipulativeness will be assessed by participants' ratings of the extent to which nutrition-related social-media posts are perceived as deliberately attempting to influence or guide their judgment.
Ratings will be made on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all manipulative) to 7 (extremely manipulative).
Higher scores indicate greater perceived manipulativeness.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Perceived Emotional Manipulation
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in perceived emotional manipulation will be assessed in response to nutrition-related social-media posts.
Participants will rate the extent to which the posts rely on emotional appeals rather than factual information.Ratings will be made on 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely).
Higher scores indicate greater perceived emotional manipulation.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Perceived Threat
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in perceived threat will be assessed in response to nutrition-related social-media posts.
Participants will rate the extent to which the posts evoke concerns about personal health.Ratings will be made on 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely).Higher scores indicate greater perceived threat.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Counterarguing in Response to Nutrition-Related Misinformation
Časové okno: Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in counterarguing will be assessed by participants' self-reported tendency to generate thoughts that question, challenge, or critically evaluate the claims made in nutrition-related social-media posts.
Responses will be rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).
Higher scores indicate greater counterarguing and represent a better outcome.
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Baseline (T0), immediate post-intervention (T1), and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Misinformation-Detection Self-Efficacy
Časové okno: Baseline (T0) and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in confidence in detecting false, exaggerated, or insufficiently supported nutrition-related information and in verifying its source will be assessed using self-report items rated on 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all confident) to 7 (extremely confident).
Higher scores indicate greater misinformation-detection self-efficacy.
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Baseline (T0) and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Další výstupní opatření
Měření výsledku |
Popis opatření |
Časové okno |
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Critical and Electronic Health Literacy
Časové okno: Baseline (T0) and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Change from baseline in critical and electronic health literacy will be assessed using self-report items addressing participants' ability to find, evaluate, and apply online diet- and health-related information, including the ability to identify omissions, exaggeration, or weak evidence.
Responses will be rated on 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).
Higher scores indicate higher critical and electronic health literacy.
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Baseline (T0) and 2-week follow-up (T2).
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Spolupracovníci a vyšetřovatelé
Zde najdete lidi a organizace zapojené do této studie.
Sponzor
Vyšetřovatelé
- Vrchní vyšetřovatel: Xue Weng, Beijing Normal University
Termíny studijních záznamů
Tato data sledují průběh záznamů studie a předkládání souhrnných výsledků na ClinicalTrials.gov. Záznamy ze studií a hlášené výsledky jsou před zveřejněním na veřejné webové stránce přezkoumány Národní lékařskou knihovnou (NLM), aby se ujistily, že splňují specifické standardy kontroly kvality.
Hlavní termíny studia
Začátek studia (Odhadovaný)
1. září 2026
Primární dokončení (Odhadovaný)
30. prosince 2026
Dokončení studie (Odhadovaný)
30. června 2027
Termíny zápisu do studia
První předloženo
31. srpna 2026
První předloženo, které splnilo kritéria kontroly kvality
31. srpna 2026
První zveřejněno (Aktuální)
3. září 2026
Aktualizace studijních záznamů
Poslední zveřejněná aktualizace (Aktuální)
9. září 2026
Odeslaná poslední aktualizace, která splnila kritéria kontroly kvality
4. září 2026
Naposledy ověřeno
1. září 2026
Více informací
Termíny související s touto studií
Klíčová slova
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- Nutrition Misinformation Trial
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