The study was conducted in compliance with the Institutional Review Board of University of Houston, and the data were gathered between August 9, 2021, and September 17, 2021. A total of 185 persons from 31 states across the U.S. were recruited via word-of-mouth and postings on social media, 102 of whom (77.5%) completed the study procedures (see Fig. 1 ). Study characteristics for the final study sample (N = 102) are displayed in Table 1 . Among eligible participants, completion rates by race/ethnicity were: Asian = 78%, Black = 50%, Hispanic = 25%, and White = 57%. Completion rates were higher among Asians and Whites compared to Hispanics, but here were no significant differences in age, sex, education, or the number of medical comorbidities (ps > .05). Interested participants completed an online screening survey, providing digital, informed consent and confirming that they were: 1) aged 18 to 35 years or 50 or older; 2) minimally proficient in English; 3) in the United States; 4) reported use of at least one social media platform at least one time per week and at least 1.5 hours per week and 5) not diagnosed with any major neurological (e.g., seizure disorder) or psychiatric (e.g., psychosis) conditions. The current research presents no more than Minimal Risk of harm to subjects – the potential risks to participating are mild fatigue and frustration with the standard clinical tests of cognition. Participants are informed in the consent process that they may discontinue at any time without penalty and are provided contact information of the investigators, the university IRB, and a mental health hotline number if any part of the study is distressing to them.![]()
Study flow diagram
Sociodemographic information, psychological factors and primary outcome measures for younger and older adults
| Variable | Younger Adults (n = 52) | Older Adults (n = 50) | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 26.5 (4.5) (18–35) | 60.6 (7.6) (50–79) | |
| Gender (% women) | 50.0 | 82.0 | |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | |||
| Asian | 11.5 | 2.0 | |
| Black | 32.7 | 14.0 | |
| Hispanic | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
| White | 50.0 | 82.0 | |
| Other | 3.8 | 0.0 | |
| Education (%) | .108 | ||
| High School or Equivalent | 11.5 | 16.0 | |
| Community College/Vocational School | 2.0 | 10.0 | |
| Four-Year College/University Degree | 50.0 | 30.0 | |
| Professional Degree/Graduate School | 36.5 | 44.0 | |
| Political Position | |||
| Democrat | 80.8 | 54.0 | |
| Republican | 7.7 | 18.0 | |
| Independent | 11.5 | 28.0 | |
| Number of Medical Conditions (of 8) | 0.8 (0.3) (0–1) | 0.5 (0.7) (0–3) | |
| GAI-SF (of 5) | 2.5 (1.6) (0–5) | 2.0 (1.8) (0–5) | .090 |
| GDS-S (Dysphoric mood factor; of 7) | 1.1 (1.2) (0–4) | 1.3 (1.8) (0–7) | .663 |
| Big Five Personality Domains | |||
| Extraversion (of 15) | 10.3 (2.1) (5–13) | 9.6 (2.3) (4–13) | .063 |
| Agreeableness (of 15) | 11.0 (2.1) (6–15) | 11.1 (2.2) (4–15) | .610 |
| Conscientiousness (of 15) | 11.4 (2.2) (7–15) | 11.4 (2.3) (6–15) | .962 |
| Negative Emotionality (of 15) | 8.2 (2.8) (3–15) | 8.0 (2.8) (3–14) | .758 |
| Open-Mindedness (of 15) | 11.2 (2.1) (5–15) | 11.5 (2.5) (5–15) | .313 |
| CRT Total (of 6) | 2.4 (1.6) (0–6) | 1.4 (1.4) (0–5) | |
| General Science Knowledge Total (of 17) | 12.3 (2.9) (6–17) | 11.3 (3.5) (5–17) | .162 |
| Social Media headline-sharing experiment | |||
| Sharing likelihood of accurate information | 50.6 (22.5) (15–90) | 38.8 (15.4) (15–73) | |
| Sharing likelihood of false information | 41.5 (23.5) (15–86) | 30.0 (16.1) (15–76) | |
| Headline Accuracy Post-Task (of 30) | 20.4 (3.7) (12–27) | 21.8 (3.4) (11–27) | |
| Headline Accuracy Post-Task (% accurate) | 68.1 (12.2) (40–90) | 72.8 (11.5) (37–90) |
Note: Bolded p - values < .05
Data represent M (SD) (Range) or valid population % values
GAI-SF Geriatric Anxiety Inventory – Short Form, GDS-S Geriatric Depression Scale– Short Form, CRT Six-item Cognitive Reflection Test
