الملخص الإنجليزي
This study aimed to identify the factors affecting Sultan Qaboos
University students' behavior of sharing information, which has led to the
spread of false and misinformation related to the covid-19 pandemic. The
study examined the effect of demographic factors (age and gender), self efficacy in identifying and verifying misinformation, attitude towards
verification, and belief in the validity of the information. It hence
developed plan for improvement based on the theory of reasoned action.
To achieve the study's objectives, a quantitative research approach
was adopted via the use of questionnaires. An e-mail was sent to all
undergraduate students enrolled at Sultan Qaboos University during the
academic year 2020-2021, yielding 407 valid answers from various
colleges.
The results showed that students mainly rely on social media to
obtain information related to the pandemic, especially Twitter. A small
percentage of the sample (1.70%) reported not being exposed to any
misinformation related to Covid-19. Moreover, most of the participants
agreed that mental confusion and psychological anxiety were among the
most severe effects of misinformation. Hypotheses testing demonstrated
that while there is an effect of self-norms and beliefs on behavior, no
apparent effect of self-efficacy, attitude towards verification, and gender
was detected. On the contrary, age showed a slight effect among those who
are 24 years and older .
The study draws on several recommendations, including the need to
raise national literacy of information skills and handling at schools and
workshops and seminars, which a specialized information center can
provide. The study also recommends not trusting all that is posted online
or on social media and urges for constant information verification and
validation.
