University of Twente Student Theses
Influence of a Fake News Message on Fear of Crime
Hendriks, L.H. (2019) Influence of a Fake News Message on Fear of Crime.
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| Abstract: | Fake news is misleading and can be used to let people be afraid about crimes. Therefore, in this study is researched which factors influence the relation between fake news and fear of crime. The Risk Information Seeking and Processing Theory explains how people perceive risks, it consists of the variables Information Sufficiency, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Realism. In this study is researched if those variables can explain the influence of fake news on fear of crime. 290 people participated and either got a fake or real news message. Afterwards, participants received a questionnaire in which Information Sufficiency, Self-Efficacy, Perceived Realism, and Fear of Crime were measured. No mediation effect resulted, however there were significant relationships between Self-Efficacy and Fear of Crime and between News Message and Perceived Realism. This indicates that people with high self-efficacy have lower fear of crime and that a fake news message is seen as less real. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 05 communication studies, 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/78238 |
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