Wise blindness: reinterpreting false information engagement through a thematic analysis

This study challenges ‘gullibility’ as the primary driver of false information engagement. Thematic analysis of 30 interviews in China reveals two themes. Firstly, multifaceted motivations underlying strategic engagement: Individuals intentionally interact with false information for goal attainment, emotional appeasement, rational trade-offs, or pragmatic acceptance of low-stakes content. Secondly, contextual gaps in cognitive adaptation: Susceptibility arises from overthinking under pressure, exploitation of routine behaviors, and technological challenges. Findings reframe ‘gullibility’ as socially constructed through individual-context interactions, advocating for context-sensitive analyses of false information engagement.