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Aman Kumar and Amit Shankar

Title: Should I share it? Factors influencing fake news-sharing behaviour: A behavioural reasoning

theory perspective

Journal: Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Social media has become an integral part of

our lives because of its popularity among users.
However, the dissemination of fake information

has been a significant issue for marketers, as
it severely damages brand image. This study

examined variables related to intentions (for
and against) to share fake news online using

behavioral reasoning theory (BRT). We also examined the impact of perceived believability as a mediator and how

the mediating effects of perceived believability are moderated by social-status seeking and cognitive fluency. Data
were collected from 356 respondents using online questionnaires. The hypotheses were tested using structural

equation modeling and PROCESS Macro. The results suggest that the joy of missing out (JOMO) and government
regulations negatively impact fake news-sharing intention. Source credibility and information quality positively

impact fake news-sharing intention. Perceived believability mediates the association between
antecedents and fake news-sharing

intention.Mediated-moderation analysis
show that social status seeking and

cognitive fluency also significantly impact
fake news-sharing intention. This study

enriches the fake news and social media
literature, and has managerial implications

for marketers.

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