Visual cognition of fake news: the effects of consumer brand engagement

ABSTRACT

Consumers’ engagement with fake news has impacted the way consumers process information about brands on the Internet. The purpose of this article is to analyze the factors that affect the amount of cognitive processing of fake news. Two experimental studies were carried out. Study 1 participants were invited to look at web pages, while those in Study 2 had access to information on social networks (Facebook and Twitter). In both studies, eye movements were measured to examine cognitive processing tasks. The participants’ gaze behavior was used to assess the amount of cognitive processing and the reduction of intentional control, for different levels of consumer brand engagement. The results demonstrate that the presence of fake news increases the amount of cognitive processing of the viewer. Furthermore, the reduction in intentional control is less with fake news than with real news. Finally, the findings indicate that high consumer engagement with the brand results in a greater amount of cognitive processing of fake news. The results of this study demonstrate that the exposure of fake news involving certain brands may have a greater effect on sustaining visual cognition than real news.

KEYWORDS:

• Fake news
• cognitive processing
• intentional control
• heuristic availability
• consumer brand engagement

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wagner Junior Ladeira

Wagner Junior Ladeira is a researcher at CNPq (Productivity Scholarship) and an eye tracking techniques specialist, having a degree in Business Administration from the Federal University of Viçosa (2003), a master's degree in Business Administration from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (2006) and PhD in the area of Technology Management and Innovation at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (2011).

Marlon Dalmoro

Marlon Dalmoro is a PhD Researcher in the Management School of University of Taquari Valley – Brazil. He earned a MSc in Administration from Federal University of Santa Maria – Brazil (2009). He has been visiting scholar at EDHEC Business School – France. His current research interests include consumer behavior and international marketing. His research appears in numerous academic outlets including Advances in Consumer Research and Brazilian journals.

Fernando de Oliveira Santini

Fernando de Oliveira Santini is a professor at the Graduate Program at the University of the Rio dos Sinos Valley (UNISINOS). Coordinator of the Administration Course at UNISINOS. Doctorate in Business Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - PUC / RS (2013). Master in Business Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - PUC / RS (2010). Graduated in Advertising from Lutheran University of Brazil - ULBRA.

William Carvalho Jardim

William Carvalho Jardim works in the Business Administration area, with emphasis in Marketing, has experience in industrial financial management, performing planning, strategy and management of industrial and corporate finance. Graduated from UNISINOS (University of the Rio dos Sinos Valley), a renowned Brazilian university with the highest marks and distinctions in the area of Management and Business, holds a CAPES Strictu Sensu scholarship from the UNISINOS Graduate Program in Administration. Conducts marketing research in the area of Consumer Behavior, Visual Attention, Priming Effect, using Eye tracking techniques and Meta Analysis methodology.