In the contemporary media environment, the rapid dissemination of news exerts an increasing influence on the perceived credibility of information and on individuals’ trust in it. The widespread circulation of misinformation not only distorts the cognitive processes underlying individual perception but also affects public consciousness and collective decision-making. This article provides a theoretical analysis of how misinformation in news content activates cognitive biases and examines the mechanisms through which such effects occur with high speed and intensity. The study integrates theoretical frameworks from cognitive psychology, media studies, and social communication. Particular attention is devoted to the role of key cognitive mechanisms – such as confirmation bias, the availability heuristic, anchoring, and framing effects – in shaping the reception and interpretation of misinformation. In addition, the structural impact of algorithmic curation systems and social media platforms in amplifying these processes is critically examined. The theoretical arguments advanced in this article demonstrate that misinformation cannot be reduced merely to inaccuracies in content; rather, it emerges at the intersection of inherent limitations in human cognition and broader social contexts. The findings substantiate the scientific importance of incorporating cognitive biases into the analysis of misinformation and provide a robust theoretical foundation for future empirical research.
Misinformation, cognitive biases, information perception, social media, information psychology
