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Misinformation is both a symptom and a cause: Reply to Altay and Mercier (2026).

Li Qian Tay et al.

American Psychologist2026https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001622article
ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

In their commentary, Altay and Mercier (2026) frame misinformation as a mere symptom of deeper underlying societal problems. Here, we highlight a more nuanced causal account involving reciprocal effects, where misinformation can act as a cause of societal issues, which in turn can simultaneously act as a cause of misinformation belief. When it comes to the total causal impact of misinformation, we note the importance of taking into account not only the direct but also the indirect effects. Viewing misinformation as both a symptom and a cause offers an opportunity for appropriate policy interventions depending on the behavior, context, and misinformation in question. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001622

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@article{li2026,
  title        = {{Misinformation is both a symptom and a cause: Reply to Altay and Mercier (2026).}},
  author       = {Li Qian Tay et al.},
  journal      = {American Psychologist},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001622},
}

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Misinformation is both a symptom and a cause: Reply to Altay and Mercier (2026).

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.