Mapping verification behaviors in the post-truth era: A systematic review

Abstract

Given the widespread misinformation problem in societies across the globe, scholars aiming to combat misinformation wish to change verification behaviors at the individual level. To map what is known about media users’ verification behaviors, this study reviewed 52 articles and analyzed how verification research has progressed so far. The results indicate that verification research has been conducted since 2000 but has increased considerably in recent years. However, a clear definition and a standard measure of verification behaviors were missing. Theories and methodologies from different disciplines have been adopted to investigate verification behaviors. The examined variables are diverse, but the overall understanding of the findings is fragmented. Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic boosted the number of studies on media users’ verification behaviors and brought changes to the direction of the research. This review calls for a better conceptualization and validated measures of verification behaviors and examinations of verification in more diverse contexts.