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What are the factors that influence individuals' belief in fake news? A structured survey was conducted to examine the impact of cognitive, emotional, and personality factors on the perceived accuracy of fake news. This study utilizes certain facets of the Personality Inventory of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PID‐5‐Adult trait) to investigate the phenomenon of fake news. Using actual fake news headlines encountered on Facebook, the study revealed that individuals with high levels of psychoticism, impulsivity, suspiciousness, and low analytical reasoning abilities are more likely to believe fake news. Furthermore, the study found that fear induced by news content significantly influences by impeding rational, factual analysis. These findings suggest that while social media platforms contribute to the dissemination of fake news, individual vulnerabilities also play a crucial role. These findings could be useful for the development of digital literacy programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence that dysfunctional personality traits, related to psychological maladjustment and psychopathology, can play an important role in a person's ability to cope with major stressful events. Relatively little is known about the specific effect of the emotional component on the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and psychological stress. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the maladaptive personality traits of psychoticism, detachment, and negative affect, and psychological stress, considering the effects of COVID-19-related worries and emotional dysregulation. An online survey was administered to 1172 adult participants. A series of path analysis models showed that maladaptive personality traits (psychoticism, detachment, and negative affect) are related to psychological stress. COVID-19-related worries and emotional dysregulation partially explained this association. The results suggest that in the early months of 2022, during the reduction of government restrictions, although the world population was no longer in nationwide lockdown, the COVID-19-related emotional component could still explain, at least in part, the association between maladaptive personality traits and psychological stress. • Maladaptive personality trait plays an important role on psychological stress. • COVID-related worries and emotional dysregulation explained this association. • A series of path analysis models were conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]