Countering the “Harmless E-Cigarette” Myth: The Interplay of Message Format, Message Sidedness, and Prior Experience With E-Cigarette Use in Misinformation Correction

Abstract

A 2 ( message format: story vs. nonstory) × 2 ( message sidedness: one sided vs. two sided) between-subjects experiment tested the effectiveness of narrative communication as a potential tool for correcting misinformation about e-cigarettes. Results revealed that stories were more emotionally involving and engaging than nonstories but did not reduce counterarguing when used as correctives. The study found that prior experience of e-cigarette use moderated the interaction between message format and message sidedness. For participants who had never used e-cigarettes, the one-sided story was favored. However, for participants who had smoked e-cigarettes before, the advantages of the one-sided story disappeared.