UCLan Researchers Tackle Misinformation at the 19th European Congress of Psychology

Paphos, Cyprus – July 1-4, 2025

During the first week of July, psychologists and researchers from across Europe gathered in the historic city of Paphos, Cyprus, for the 19th European Congress of Psychology (ECP 2025). Held under the theme “Transforming Psychological Science: The 2030 Agenda,” this year’s congress called on the discipline to address some of society’s most persistent challenges – from mental health and well-being to climate change and the impact of misinformation.

Among the many contributions shaping this global dialogue were key presentations from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), representing the EU-funded SMIDGE Project, an initiative dedicated to understanding how misinformation spreads online and what can be done to stop it.

On July 3, Dr Vasiliki Christodoulou, Assistant Professor in Psychology at UCLan Cyprus and one of SMIDGE’s principal researchers, presented groundbreaking findings on how core human values shape our engagement with conspiracies and false information circulating on social media.

Her talk, “Can human values predict engagement with conspiratorial and false content on social media? Results from a European survey,” showcased data from a survey of 635 middle-aged adults across the UK and EU. The study revealed that values emphasizing tradition, security, and conformity – known as conservation values –  were linked to higher susceptibility to conspiratorial beliefs and lower accuracy in identifying false content. In contrast, individuals who scored higher on self-transcendence values –  prioritizing openness and the welfare of others – showed greater resistance to misleading online narratives.

Dr Christodoulou’s presentation emphasised that our core beliefs and motivations shape how we interpret information online. She argued that building society’s resilience to misinformation requires addressing the underlying value systems that influence what people trust and share.

The research, co-authored by Kalypso Iordanou and Maura de Vos at UCLan Cyprus, sheds new light on why certain groups are more vulnerable to false narratives about topics like immigration, vaccination, and climate change – all hotbeds for misinformation in recent years.

Building on this, Maura de Vos also represented the SMIDGE Project with a complementary presentation titled “Misinformation on Social Media: Examining Middle-Aged Individuals’ Reasoning Skills and Engagement with Misinformation Online.”

Her talk focused on the often-overlooked middle-aged demographic (45–65), who play a crucial role as voters and community leaders yet remain underrepresented in misinformation research. By examining how argumentative reasoning skills and epistemic beliefs affect people’s ability to detect false information, the study found that stronger critical thinking skills and a sophisticated understanding of knowledge significantly reduced conspiratorial thinking.

While digital literacy efforts often focus on young people, the SMIDGE findings suggest that middle-aged adults can also benefit significantly from targeted interventions. Strengthening reasoning skills in this demographic could make a meaningful difference in their ability to recognise and resist misleading content.

The results highlighted that conservation values, emotional reasoning, and a limited ability to consider both sides of an argument were key predictors of conspiratorial thinking. By contrast, individuals with stronger argumentative reasoning skills and nuanced epistemic beliefs were better able to discern fake from factual.

Set against the culturally rich backdrop of Paphos, this year’s congress invited attendees to reflect on psychology’s evolving role in a complex world – and to forge new partnerships that carry its insights beyond academia.

The participation of UCLan researchers at ECP 2025 underscored the congress’s broader mission: to bring together psychologists, researchers, and policymakers to address urgent societal issues with science-led solutions. As the spread of misinformation continues to threaten democratic discourse and public trust, projects like SMIDGE offer a blueprint for evidence-based interventions that tackle the problem at its roots.

As the congress came to a close, the message was clear: psychology must continue to evolve alongside the complex challenges of our time. By deepening our understanding of how people think, feel, and act – both online and offline – researchers like those behind the SMIDGE Project are helping ensure that psychological science remains a vital force for positive change in society.