Scrolling Through Contradictions: The Cognitive Impact of Discrepant News Exposure on Social Media

In the digital age, online platforms have become central to how we consume news and information. However, they frequently expose users to contradictory news content, causing cognitive dissonance - discomfort resulting from the conflict between new and pre-existing knowledge and/or beliefs. Based on Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Prominence-Interpretation Theory (PIT), the current research explores how people interpret and process conflicting content on digital platforms. Through the examination of the resulting cognitive responses, the research hopes to develop a greater understanding of digital media literacy, platform trust perceptions, and the mechanisms of dissonance resolution in online news consumption.