COVID-19 misinformation contributed to vaccine hesitancy and preventable illness. Thisrecord covers three sequential randomized studies (conducted in Canada and the UnitedStates, November-December 2020) testing whether a brief online game helps adults identifyCOVID-19 and vaccine misinformation. In the game, participants judged whether statementsabout COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccines were true or false and immediately received thecorrect answer with a brief evidence-based explanation, delivered in a game-like formatwith points, ranks, and feedback. Study 1 (Canada, n = 2,018) randomized participants tocomplete the knowledge assessment either before playing the game or immediately afterplaying it. Studies 2 (U.S., n = 822) and 3 (U.S., n = 797) compared the game against theidentical corrective content presented as plain text, for general COVID-19 misinformationand vaccine-specific misinformation, respectively. The hypothesis was that gamifiedcorrective information produces more accurate knowledge than non-gamified information.The primary outcome was accuracy in identifying true and false claims; vaccinationintention was a secondary outcome.
This protocol comprised three sequential randomized controlled studies evaluating digital
educational interventions to counter COVID-19 misinformation, conducted under a single
IRB approval (University of South Carolina, Pro00099400) with study specific amendments.
The University of South Carolina Institutional Review Board determined the study to be
exempt before participant enrollment. A fourth study in the research program, conducted
under a separate IRB approval (Pro00122534), is registered separately. Study 1 enrolled a
national non-probability online panel sample in Canada (Nanos Research); Study 2 enrolled
a U.S. MTurk sample on general COVID-19 misinformation; Study 3 enrolled a U.S. MTurk
sample on vaccine misinformation. This record registers the three completed trials
retrospectively. All three trials used the same intervention platform: a true/false quiz
over circulating misinformation items, each response followed immediately by item-level
refutational feedback (correct answer plus brief evidence-based explanation) embedded in
a gamified interface (points, ranks, response-contingent feedback).
Trial 1 (Canada, N = 2,018; non-probability online panel fielded by Nanos Research,
December 4-14, 2020; general COVID-19 content, 6 items): both arms received identical
quiz-and-game content; arms differed in timing of the knowledge assessment within the
single session (in Control assessed before playing, in Game immediately after).
Trial 2 (United States, N = 822; Amazon Mechanical Turk, November-December 2020; general
COVID-19 content, 19 items): Game versus active-text control receiving the identical
refutational content as a static text.
Trial 3 (United States, N = 797; Amazon Mechanical Turk, November-December 2020;
vaccine-specific content, 17 items): same two-arm design as Trial 2.
All trials were single session. Knowledge accuracy was the primary outcome; vaccination
intention was secondary. Data quality exclusions were applied at analysis: item-level
missingness on the knowledge scale (Trial 1) and duplicate/non-U.S. IP screening plus, in
the Game arm, completion code validation (Trials 2 and 3).
Behavioral: Gamified misinformation refutation quiz
Single-session online game: participants judge true/false statements about COVID-19
(Trials 1-2) or COVID-19 vaccines (Trial 3) and immediately after each response receive
the correct answer with a brief evidence-based refutation, within a gamified interface
(points, ranks, feedback). 6-19 knowledge items depending on trial.
Behavioral: Refutational text (active control)
Identical evidence-based refutational content presented as a single static text block
without game elements or item-level feedback. Participants confirmed reading the text
before completing the post-intervention assessments.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults aged 18 or older
- Trial 1: Canadian residents residing outside Quebec, with internet access, able to
complete the questionnaire in English
- Trials 2-3: Amazon Mechanical Turk workers located in the United States, with a HIT
approval rate of at least 95% and more than 100 approved HITs.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Trial 1: employment in market research, advertising, media, or by a political party
Online
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Not Provided