Time-Frequency Representations in response to true and fake news: Pilot study

In the age of digital media, fake news poses a growing challenge by spreading misinformation, shaping public opinion, and being hard to distinguish from true news. This pilot EEG study investigated the behavioral and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the perception of fake and true news. Forty participants read short news headlines—some factually true, others fake—each accompanied by a relevant image, and rated their trust in and willingness to share each item. We hypothesized that true news would elicit higher trust and willingness to share and that these judgements would be influenced by individual cognitive traits, specifically cognitive reflection (CRT) and need for cognition (NFCS). Simultaneously, EEG was recorded, and time– frequency representations (TFR) were analyzed using Morlet wavelets and spatiotemporal cluster-based permutation tests. Results showed that true news was rated as significantly more trustworthy and more shareable than fake news, although these effects varied by news sub-topic and were not significantly moderated by CRT or NFCS. At the neural level, true headlines evoked more pronounced alpha and beta desynchronization, suggesting greater cognitive engagement, while fake news was associated with delayed low-frequency synchronization, potentially reflecting reappraisal or uncertainty.