Young people are particularly susceptible to misleading information on social media. Yet insights from developmental psychology show that they also have unique strengths to build resilience. In a new perspective paper led by developmental psychologist Ili Ma, scientists, schools, parents and policy makers are given tools to foster resilience.
Young people are particularly susceptible to misleading information on social media. Yet insights from developmental psychology show that they also have unique strengths to build resilience. In a new perspective paper led by developmental psychologist Ili Ma, scientists, schools, parents and policy makers are given tools to foster resilience.
Adolescents are growing up in a digital world where social media is an integral part of everyday life. They maintain friendships online, follow the news through their feeds and take part in public debates. However, being “a digital native” does not automatically mean they are able to recognize or resist misinformation.
The article, published in Nature Human Behaviour, shows that adolescence, the transition from childhood to adulthood, is an important phase for understanding how resilience to misinformation develops. The researchers emphasize that the social, emotional and cognitive changes that take place during this period strongly influence how young people process both information and misinformation.
“Adolescents use different platforms than adults, follow different types of accounts, and place greater value on the opinions of friends or favorite influencers”, explains Ma.
