Media literacy education and the awareness-verification gap: A theory of planned behavior perspective on Chinese adolescents' responses to online misinformation.

Abstract

This study examines how Chinese high school students perceive and respond to online misinformation and how their responses are shaped by school, family, and wider social contexts. Four focus group discussions were conducted with 24 students aged 15-17 from two public high schools in a southeastern coastal city. Thematic analysis identified a gap between students' awareness of misinformation and their verification-related responses. Although participants generally approached online content with caution, verification was selective and more likely when information was perceived as personally relevant or consequential. Their judgments were also shaped by cognitive shortcuts and trust in familiar others. Schools were regarded as credible sources of guidance, but existing provision was described as fragmented and largely confined to anti-fraud education. Within families, adolescents both received guidance and helped parents assess questionable content, revealing reciprocal patterns of intergenerational influence. Participants further linked their perceived capacity to respond to the availability of platform tools and institutional support. Interpreted through the theory of planned behavior, the findings illustrate how attitudes toward verification, social influence, and perceived behavioral control are embedded in adolescents' everyday information environments. Media literacy initiatives may be more effective when critical awareness is paired with repeated opportunities to evaluate, verify, and respond to questionable content.