Cognitive traits modulate the effects of images and familiarity on judgments of news accuracy

Recent research has shown that judgments of truth about news are influenced by the ease with which we process such information (i.e., processing fluency); for instance, familiarity with information increases perceived accuracy (i.e., illusory truth effect), but also the presence of decorative photos influences our beliefs about the accuracy of claims (i.e., truthiness effect). In this study, we present results from a survey experiment conducted on an Italian sample of university students (N = 300) where participants were presented with a set of 40 news (half real and half fake), under two conditions (no image vs image), and were asked to report perceived accuracy, familiarity and sharing intentions. Participants also completed a set of tests investigating cognitive traits: cognitive reflection test, numeracy scale, intellectual humility questionnaire. Our findings provide evidence for the truthiness effect and the illusory truth effect. Cognitive traits significantly moderated these effects: higher cognitive reflection reduced the association between familiarity and perceived accuracy and strengthened the contrast between news with vs. without images, suggesting nuanced interactions between analytic thinking and fluency-based biases. Numeracy, on the other hand, was associated with improved detection of fake news but it also amplified the illusory truth effect, indicating that familiarity may sometimes override deliberative thinking. Finally, intellectual humility played a limited role but was associated with higher perceived accuracy in the absence of images. These results shed light on the complex interplay between cognitive traits and fluency-based biases in news perception, providing theoretical and practical insights for interventions aimed at mitigating the spread of misinformation.