Information overload and misinformation sharing behaviour of social media users: Testing the moderating role of cognitive ability

Abstract

Sharing of misinformation on social media platforms is a global concern, with research offering little insight into the motives behind such sharing. Drawing from the cognitive load theory and literature on cognitive ability, we developed and tested a research model hypothesising why people share misinformation. We also tested the moderating role of cognitive ability. We obtained data from 385 social media users in Nigeria using a chain referral technique with an online questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. Our findings suggest that information overload and social media fatigue are strong predictors of misinformation sharing. Information stress also contributed to misinformation sharing behaviour. Furthermore, cognitive ability moderated and weakened the effect information strain and information overload have on misinformation sharing in such a way that this effect is more pronounced among those with low cognitive ability. This indicates that those with low cognitive ability have a higher tendency to share misinformation. However, cognitive ability had no effect on the effect social media fatigue has on misinformation sharing behaviour. The study concluded with some theoretical and practical implications.