When Online Comments Weigh In: The Role of Conspiracy Mentality and Science Belief on Information Processing and Behavior

With the prevalence of online comments containing conspiracy theories and misinformation, communicating societal issues on social media has become challenging. The impact of these comments on individuals’ responses is insufficiently studied, particularly in the context of scientific messages. Specifically, little is known about how online comments influence individuals’ information processing and behavioral intentions, beyond the credibility evaluation that has been extensively discussed in previous studies. This study explores the effects of online comments (i.e. comments containing conspiracies or counterarguments) on credibility, information engagement, and overprotective behavioral intentions. In an online between-subject experiment (N = 342), the results revealed that exposure to either conspiracy or counter-arguing comments increased the perceived credibility of the comments. Additionally, the findings showed that the effect of such comments on trust in the source of the post and perceived comment credibility varied according to one’s conspiracy mentality and scientific beliefs. These effects, in turn, influenced information engagement and overprotective behaviors. Further discussion and implications of these findings are provided.