Fake news: people with greater emotional intelligence are better at spotting misinformation

The spread of misinformation – in the form of unsubstantiated rumour and intentionally deceitful propaganda – is nothing new. Even in antiquity, Antony and Cleopatra were were cast as villains through fake news shared by Octavian. However, the global proliferation of social media, the 24-hour news cycle and consumers’ ravenous desire for news – immediately and in bite-size chunks – means that today, misinformation is more abundant and accessible than ever. Fake news has been particularly associated with high-profile events like the 2016 Brexit referendum, the 2016 US presidential election, and the pandemic. It has shaken trust in institutions, governments and even the COVID vaccine. But our new study shows fake news doesn’t affect everyone equally. People with greater emotional intelligence are better at spotting it.