Narcissism predicts misinformation engagement through information seeking: Evidence from a survey

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented reliance on information online, resulting in a phenomenon scholars have labeled an "infodemic." This resulted in the unabated spread of misinformation, which had severe consequences. This study investigated the psychological factors influencing belief in and engagement with COVID-19 misinformation. Utilizing survey data from the United States (N = 1005), we found that narcissism was positively associated with COVID-19 misinformation belief and engagement. Information-seeking behavior served as a mediator in this relationship, with narcissistic individuals being more likely to seek out COVID-19-related information, and that subsequently was associated with higher willingness to like and share misinformation headlines. However, information seeking was not associated with misinformation belief, suggesting that individuals who proactively seek information may still engage with misinformation without believing it, thereby contributing to its spread in public spaces such as social media. This study highlights the psychological factors underpinning misinformation belief and engagement, offering new perspectives to tackle this issue in the digital age.