Wellness misinformation is more rampant than ever. From misleading advice on TikTok to unregulated supplements being marketed online, separating fact from fiction is increasingly challenging.
During the 2024 Wellness Academy, Cam Hostinar, PhD, an Associate Professor of Psychology at UC Davis, shared her expertise on navigating this complex landscape. In her lecture, she provided actionable tools to help you become a more discerning consumer of health information, empowering you at any stage of your wellness journey.
This article breaks down key insights from Dr. Hostinar’s session and provides practical steps to counteract misinformation effectively.
What is misinformation?
Misinformation, as defined by the American Psychological Association (APA), is “any information that is demonstrably false or otherwise misleading, regardless of its source or intention” (1). While this definition may seem clear, Dr. Hostinar explains that wellness misinformation spreads easily due to factors such as its emotional appeal and accessibility on social media.
“As a university professor and a stress researcher who often teaches courses about stress, I frequently receive questions from students that lead me to think they might have been exposed to misinformation about stress or wellness on various digital platforms,” says Dr. Hostinar.
The case of cortisol on TikTok
Dr. Hostinar highlighted the widespread misinformation surrounding cortisol-related content on TikTok, where hashtags like #HowToReduceCortisol and #CortisolLevels amassed over 140 million views last year.
“When I searched for online content that used these hashtags about cortisol, I found an abundance of inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information promoted by various influencers and content creators,” she explained. “These videos, made by creators without medical or psychological training, described how to balance your hormones, regulate your nervous system, heal your metabolic damage, or detox negative emotions.”
Dr. Hostinar noted that such content often leaves viewers with half-answered questions, increasing frustration in their wellness journey. “It was alarming for me to see so much missing information about stress, stress hormones, and well-being because I know stress affects a very large segment of the population at any given time. For example, the American Psychological Association reported that 27% of all U.S. adults said in a survey that most days they are so stressed they can’t function… so if you feel stressed, you’re not alone.”
“These statistics mean that millions are searching for solutions to reduce stress and promote well-being… but there is a dire need for accurate and useful information.”
Is health misinformation harmful?
The abundance of misinformation online raises significant concerns about its potential harm. Vivek Murthy, MD, the previous U.S. Surgeon General, has stated: “Health misinformation is a serious threat to public health. It can cause confusion, sow mistrust, harm people’s health, and undermine public health efforts” (2).
Dr. Hostinar echoed this sentiment: “We know that misinformation spreads quickly on social media, particularly due to so-called super spreaders—highly influential users who have many contacts or followers. This creates an echo chamber where individuals are isolated from evidence that may refute misinformation.”
Why are we so vulnerable to misinformation?
Dr. Hostinar outlined several psychological factors that make us susceptible to wellness myths. These include:
1. Knowledge neglect
“We may know something is inaccurate but fail to recognize it in the moment,” Dr. Hostinar explains. She cited the “Moses Illusion,” a phenomenon where people fail to detect errors in commonly known facts (3).
“For example, one research study creatively asked participants, “How many animals of each kind did Moses take on the ark?” And most participants stated two animals of each kind. They did not notice the inaccuracy in the question, even when participants later indicated that they knew it was Noah, not Moses, who is featured in the story. In the moment, most people did not notice the Moses inaccuracy, so they had a failure to retrieve relevant knowledge. In the moment, most people did not notice the Moses inaccuracy, so they had a failure to retrieve relevant knowledge.”
2. Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias refers to our tendency to seek and believe information that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs. “This is a kind of kryptonite we have, as humans, due to our psychology,” says Dr. Hostinar. “We search for, prefer, and are more likely to remember information that already confirms our existing beliefs, and we resist accepting new information that contradicts those beliefs.”
When faced with conflicting information, people often experience cognitive dissonance—an uncomfortable mental state—which can lead them to reject new facts.
3. Social influence
As social beings, we tend to trust information from our close circle more than from outside sources. Dr. Hostinar points out that we’re more likely to believe a wellness claim if it comes from a family member, friend, or someone in our “in-group,” regardless of its accuracy. This can also be referred to as anecdotal evidence.
“This is almost always true: we trust information from our in-group more than information from our out-group.”
4. Emotional appeal
Misinformation frequently leverages our emotions to bypass critical thinking, prompting us to share content without verifying its credibility. Titles or claims that evoke fear, urgency, or even happiness can catch our attention and spread rapidly. Dr. Hostinar emphasizes that emotions such as fear, anger, and outrage are particularly motivating factors for misinformation’s viral nature.
“False news is often more novel, it causes more surprise, and it’s often more likely to be shared because of this novelty and surprising effect,” she explains. Citing a study of 126,000 stories posted on Twitter by over 3 million users between 2006 and 2017, Dr. Hostinar noted: “False news spread faster and more broadly than true news… it inspired more surprise and more disgust.”
However, the impact of emotions isn’t limited to negative feelings. Positive emotions can also facilitate the spread of misinformation. “One study showed that misinformation was more readily adopted if it elicited a positive, happy emotion,” Dr. Hostinar remarked. “We all want to share information that might brighten someone’s day or make us feel better about our lifestyle. So, in that way, positive emotion can help with the spread of misinformation as well.”
Dr. Hostinar also highlighted how health-related anxiety can make people particularly vulnerable. In moments of heightened anxiety, our ability to think critically diminishes, making us more likely to accept health-related misinformation without questioning its accuracy.
5. Repetition and the “illusory truth effect”
One last factor that Dr. Hostinar discussed in her 2024 session was how repetition can often cement information in our memory and our consciousness, even if the information isn’t accurate.
“This phenomenon is known as the illusory truth effect. Information that’s repeated is believed more than information that is heard only once, even when we initially know it’s inaccurate.”
Think back to the popular weight-loss slogans and campaigns that used repeated phrases, which advertisers and political consultants often rely on to cement information. Over time, these phrases may begin to sound truthful, highlighting why it’s essential to counter misinformation early, before it becomes widespread and gains traction.
5 Tips to debunk wellness misinformation
“We are susceptible to misinformation, but what can we do to counteract it?” asks Dr. Hostinar.
Dr. Hostinar offered these practical tips based of recommendations from the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association for how you can protect yourself and others from falling victim to wellness myths and misinformation:
1. Evaluate the source:
Always consider the source of the information, ask yourself:
- Who is sharing this?
- What are their credentials?
- Is this a reputable source or someone with a vested interest, like an influencer selling supplements?
Dr. Hostinar explains, “if this information comes from friends or family, what is the original source of that information, and is it a trustworthy source? Did it come from accounts linked to humans or bots? If the information comes from celebrities, do they have knowledge of the topic? Or are they just speaking from personal experience and personal anecdotes?”
2. Go beyond the headlines
“Headlines often sensationalize everything they say. . . striving to provide ‘clickbait'” explains Dr. Hostinar.
Headlines are designed to grab our attention, but the content is often more nuanced and less dramatic if we were to read the entire piece. You also have to take into account the date and context of the information you are receiving. “Is this a recent story that’s up to date and relevant to current events? Has a headline, image, or statistic been used out of context?” Dr. Hostinar reminds us, “Some information online is outdated, and it may have been accurate awhile ago, but less relevant today”
3. Check for supporting evidence
Before sharing wellness information, examine the supporting evidence, as Dr. Hostinar emphasizes, “credible sources will back up their claims with evidence from randomized controlled trials and expert opinions.”
One of the best defenses against misinformation is peer-reviewed scientific research. Reliable health information is based on evidence from multiple studies, often replicated across different populations. Don’t rely on a single study with a small sample size or limited scope to inform your wellness practices.
Dr. Hostinar encourages us to take this one step further, and verify that the experts are reliable and that the links embedded into the story actually support the story. “I have heard from friends who are interviewed by the media who found their research misrepresented in the media. They were disappointed by how the information they conveyed to journalists was described and presented. There were many inaccuracies in that game of telephone, of translating science from scientists to the public.”
Dr. Hostinar advises, “You should verify if experts and reliable studies support the claims.” Databases like PubMed or institutions like the CDC or NIH can be appropriate starting points.
4. Watch for emotional language
Dr. Hostinar warns that emotional language is often a red flag indicating misinformation. “If you’re watching a video or reading a blog post that talks about shocking revelations or astonishing new results, that’s a powerful red flag. You’ll find that oftentimes, scientists and medical professionals rarely talk in this manner because we are trained to use objective and impersonal language.”
Dr. Hostinar notes that “if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” and recommends seeking information that is presented in neutral and balanced terms.
5. Fact-check before sharing
Before sharing a wellness tip or health advice, take a moment to fact-check. Websites like Snopes or FactCheck.org can help verify whether a claim is true. “Misinformation spreads quickly, but we can each play a role in slowing it down by not sharing unverified content,” Dr. Hostinar says.
Tools for critical thinking
One of the most valuable tools in counteracting wellness misinformation is developing critical thinking skills.
Dr. Hostinar recommends applying the following critical thinking questions when encountering new wellness claims:
- What is the evidence behind this claim?
- What do experts say about this?
- Could this information be biased?
- Is this based on anecdotal experience, or is there scientific data supporting it?
- Am I reacting emotionally to this information?
Recommended resources
Dr. Hostinar recommended two excellent books for further reading on misinformation:
- “Foolproof: Why We Fall for Misinformation and How to Build Immunity” by Sander van der Linden, a professor of psychology at the University of Cambridge.
- “The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness” by Timothy Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta.
Conclusion: you can always be a responsible consumer of wellness information
Wellness is essential, but so is being well-informed. With these tools and insights from Dr. Hostinar’s lecture, you can become a more responsible consumer and sharer of wellness information. Remember, not everything online is what it seems, and just because something feels true doesn’t mean it is.
By following Dr. Hostinar’s guidance, you can help stop the spread of misinformation and foster a healthier, more informed community.
References
- American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Misinformation and disinformation. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformation
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Health misinformation. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/health-misinformation/index.html
- Loftus, E. F., & Palmer, J. C. (1981). The effect of misinformation on memory for details of a complex event. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 7(1), 19–36. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022537181901651
- Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. Science, 359(6380), 1146–1151. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap9559
- World Health Organization. (n.d.). Combatting misinformation online. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/teams/digital-health-and-innovation/digital-channels/combatting-misinformation-online
- American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Misinformation and disinformation. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformation
About the Author
Sky Hanka, MS, NBC-HWC
Sky Hanka is an integrative chef, culinary nutritionist, and content creator trained in the culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America and holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Integrative Health. She is also a national board-certified health and wellness coach. With over a decade of experience in farm-to-table restaurants, cooking school management, culinary education, content creation, and nutrition curriculum development, she brings a unique blend of expertise to the field of wellness. Chef Sky is dedicated to fostering a conscious, functional, restorative approach to food and wellness. She is currently a consultant at The Culinary Institute of America, Napa.