DIGITAL RUMORS, COGNITIVE TRUST, AND NEWS VERIFICATION BEHAVIOR: A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FAKE NEWS CONSUMPTION AMONG JOURNALISM STUDENTS IN DELHI-NCR UNIVERSITIES

Anurag Kumar  Mishra; Rajesh Kumar Shukla; Ramesh Kumar Sharma

doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i12s.2026.8344

Authors

Anurag Kumar Mishra Research Scholar Department of Journalism and Mass Communication IFTM University Moradabad
Dr. Rajesh Kumar Shukla PhD Supervisor & Head Department of Journalism and Mass Communication School of Education and Humanities IFTM University Moradabad
Dr. Ramesh Kumar Sharma PhD Co- Supervisor &- Professor, VSJMC Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies-TC, Delhi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i12s.2026.8344

Keywords:

Fake News, Cognitive Trust, News Verification, Journalism Students, Digital Rumors, Media Literacy, Peer Influence, Delhi-Ncr, Misinformation Acceptance, Social Media Dependency

Abstract [English]

Cognitive and behavioral reactions to fake news by journalism students is a little-studied aspect of media literacy scholarship, especially in a time when fake news is proliferating and increasingly pervasive. This study is a quantitative analysis of the interaction of fake news exposure, digital rumors consumption, cognitive trust formation, peer influence, social media dependency, and digital literacy in influencing news verification behavior among journalism and mass communication (JMC) students at Delhi-NCR universities. Primary data was collected from N = 500 journalism students studying at Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi University, Delhi; Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi and Amity University, Noida that was sampled using stratified random sampling procedure. Data was collected from a questionnaire consisting of 50 items which were validated using SPSS v.26. Pearson's correlation, multiple regression analysis, one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-tests, and Chi-square tests were used. Constructs achieved a range of Cronbach's Alpha coefficients between 0.80 and 0.91, which suggests reliability of the instrument. Results indicated that the highest predictors of misinformation acceptance were cognitive trust in social media (β = 0.49, p < .001), and the highest predictors of news verification behavior were digital literacy (β = −0.44, p < .001). Peer influence had a significant moderation effect on the association between fake news exposure and verification intention. This revealed significant differences between post and undergraduate levels in terms of the rigor of verification (t = 4.87, p < .001). There was a significantly different level of digital literacy across the universities (F = 9.21, p < .001). The findings of the study have empirical value for the field of journalism education as well as have suggestions for journalism education curriculum in India to inculcate the culture of verification.

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