The neural basis of fake news accuracy judgments and sharing decisions

Abstract

The rapid dissemination of fake news on social media may stem from reduced engagement of accuracy monitoring processes. Although considering the accuracy of information may promote more reflective evaluation, the neural basis underlying accuracy judgments and subsequent sharing decisions remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging with 38 participants who were exposed to true and fake news items in a three-phase task. The whole-brain analysis identified the key role of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC) in both accuracy judgments and sharing decisions. Generalized psychophysiological interactions analysis and granger causality a..