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Misinformation is a symptom: Commentary on Ecker et al. (2025).

Sacha Altay & Hugo Mercier

American Psychologist2026https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001550article
ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

We agree with Ecker et al. (2025) that misinformation should not be ignored. The specific form that misbeliefs take is indeed shaped by misinformation (e.g., vaccines cause autism). However, this does not imply that misinformation causes behaviors (e.g., vaccine refusal). We view misinformation as a symptom of deeper problems. When many are willing to consume, believe, and act on misinformation, this is diagnostic of broader sociopolitical issues-such as polarization or widespread mistrust-that make misinformation appealing rather than misinformation causing these issues. In particular, we consider that attitudinal and structural roots explain both the consumption and acceptance of misinformation, on the one hand, and the behaviors ascribed to misinformation on the other. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001550

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@article{sacha2026,
  title        = {{Misinformation is a symptom: Commentary on Ecker et al. (2025).}},
  author       = {Sacha Altay & Hugo Mercier},
  journal      = {American Psychologist},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001550},
}

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Misinformation is a symptom: Commentary on Ecker et al. (2025).

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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.