You Can’t Handle the Lies!: Exploring the Role of Gamson Hypothesis in Explaining Third-Person Perceptions of Being Fooled by Fake News and Fake News Sharing

Abstract

This study examined the third-person perception (TPP) in terms of the influence of fake news through the lens of the Gamson hypothesis – the combination of political trust and political self-efficacy – and how the perception may affect one’s fake news sharing behavior. Data from a national survey (N = 1,024) indicates that Dissidents (low political trust, high political self-efficacy) who are likely to perceive greater exposure to fake news are likely to exhibit stronger TPP of fake news effects than the other Gamson groups. We also found a negative association between TPP and fake news sharing, suggesting that Dissidents who are likely to have stronger TPP are less likely to share fake news than non-Dissidents. Implications for the current political landscape are discussed.