Scientific Research on Disinformation: Concepts, History, and Emerging Fields

What is it?

This article provides a comprehensive scientific review of how disinformation has been studied across disciplines such as communication, political science, linguistics, and psychology. According to Romero Rodríguez, the concept of disinformation is polysemic and evolving, shaped by technological changes, media saturation, and ideological contexts.

Why is it important?

The main findings highlight that disinformation is not only a product of manipulative intent, but also an effect of the current communication ecosystem, which is saturated, hyperconnected, and media-driven. The study reveals gaps in research, particularly in the pragmatic and rhetorical analysis of disinformation strategies.

How is it applied?

This review uses a historiographic and multidisciplinary approach, combining classical philosophical texts with contemporary case studies. It identifies four main academic perspectives:

1. Disinformation as manipulation

2. Disinformation as part of information

3. Disinformation as a media effect

4. Disinformation as structurally inherent in communication

Key Findings Across Disciplines

1. Semiology and Communication Science

• Van Dijk and Klumpp emphasize the role of discourse and cognitive manipulation.

• The media serve as gatekeepers and filters rather than sources of objective information.

2. Political Science and Public Relations

• Disinformation is a tool of mass control, from Soviet dezinformatsia to modern propaganda.

• Historical examples span from Plato’s noble lie to Goebbels’ propaganda and Bernays’ “engineering of consent.”

3. Journalism and Media Studies

• Private and public media operate under economic and political preconditions that influence news framing.

• The “ventriloquism effect” describes how few owners produce seemingly diverse media voices.

4. Psychology of Disinformation

• The misinformation effect (Loftus) shows how false memories can be implanted through suggestive content.

• Social behavior theories like the spiral of silence explain why false narratives persist socially.

FAQs

Is disinformation always intentional?
Not always. It can result from errors, bias, omission, or even self-deception in memory and perception.

What makes modern disinformation more dangerous?
Its scale, speed, and integration into digital platforms, which blur the lines between information and manipulation.

What research is still missing?
Studies focusing on the pragmatic, rhetorical, and linguistically contextualized techniques of disinformation are scarce but crucial.

Final Thoughts

This article confirms that disinformation is an interdisciplinary issue, deeply embedded in how society communicates, processes, and legitimizes truth. From philosophical debates to cognitive distortion, the scientific study of disinformation requires both critical theory and empirical rigor.

As Romero Rodríguez argues, bridging the gap between philosophical analysis and practical strategy is essential for developing tools to resist manipulation in the modern infosphere.