It's normal to have an emotional response to information you encounter online or in the news. But if the information you just received elicits a particularly strong emotion, that might be a signal to hit the brakes, said Rachel Moran of the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public.
"A lot of misleading information is created intentionally to sow confusion or to create an emotional reaction. So if it's doing that to you, it doesn't necessarily mean that what you've read is wrong, but it is a good cue to sort of slow down," she said.
We desire to see our beliefs reflected back to us, so it's easy to agree with something if it reinforces our worldview — even if it's not true, said Hannah Covington, senior director of education content at the News Literacy Project. "When you see information that you just automatically agree with, that's really a signal to pause and maybe do a quick search."
For more tips on how to avoid spreading election misinformation, read the full article.
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