Inoculation Approaches to Science Misinformation Correction

Inoculation theory explains how a position, such as an attitude or a belief, can be made more resistant to misinformation. This chapter looks forward to some areas that inoculation theory might explore next in the context of science communication and crisis misinformation correction on social media. A conventional inoculation theory-based message has two key components: a forewarning and refutational preemption. The chapter offers a sample of some of the work done with inoculation theory and science communication in times of crises—from longstanding crises such as climate change to more contemporary crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic—including work that explores misinformation within the context of social media and the Internet. Inoculation theory has been established as a messaging strategy to protect against attacks on credibility, mostly in the context of politics. Inoculation theory was long thought to be a mostly cognitive process.