Educated perception

Abstract

Given the preponderance of disinformation and denialism, research plays a vital role in truth-telling and shaping public opinion. While opinions have objective and subjective elements, what proves to be crucial in avoiding baseless claims is educated perception. The rightness or wrongness of perceptions may be determined by cognitive (knowledge), conative (actions) and affective (feeling) aspects (Walgito, 2010). In media practice, editorial decisions should be based on the right information coming from reliable sources. This is much easier said than done as “fake news” has become an industry (Ong & Caba~ nes, 2018). Vosoughi et al. (2018) also stressed that lies, misinformation, and disinformation tend to spread faster than the truth. That there are certain groups and individuals who deny basic truths on issues like human rights violations and climate change make the task of truth-telling even more challenging and even frustrating. May we all be armed with the right education and perception in fighting disinformation and denialism.