Attention over content: evaluating the effectiveness of science education in countering climate misinformation

This research investigates the role of science education in countering climate misinformation, focusing on its effects on both skeptics and believers. It assesses two forms of literacy: cognitive science literacy, which addresses biases in processing scientific information, and civic science literacy, which involves understanding the scientific principles and methods that enable informed decision-making and effectively participating in civic and societal discussions. Results from experimental data collected in 2024 (N = 798) showed that different types of science literacy content had a minimal impact on perceptions of misinformation trustworthiness. However, the level of attention given to the educational material significantly influenced its effectiveness, with this effect being moderated by participants’ pre-existing attitudes. Specifically, increased attention reduced trust in misinformation among climate believers, but not among skeptics. These findings underscore the importance of designing science education interventions that capture attention and align with the audience’s predispositions, thereby enhancing their effectiveness.