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<p>Public health measures in global crises hinge on compliance, yet resistance to scientific authority has a long history, amplified by evolving communication technologies. From 19th-century smallpox riots to COVID-19 protests, distrust, denialism, and organised resistance have been fuelled by pamphlets, talk radio, and now, digital platforms. This article develops a multi-level theoretical synthesis—spanning micro-, meso-, and macro-levels—drawing from psychology, sociology, political science, and media studies. At the micro-level, cognitive processes such as identity-protective reasoning interact with social position, trust, and experience to shape how individuals interpret and respond to mis/disinformation. At the meso-level, social identity, cultural capital, and collective mobilisation transform scepticism into group-based resistance. At the macro-level, structural inequality, political economy, media ecology, and platform capitalism create societal conditions in which mis/disinformation flourishes and compliance erodes. By situating contemporary patterns within longer trajectories, the article highlights a persistent literature gap: while empirical research has mapped correlates of mis/disinformation, theoretical integration explaining <i>why</i> resistance emerges and persists remains underdeveloped. Addressing this gap is essential for advancing sociological understandings of health behaviours and designing strategies that target not only individuals but also the social and structural systems that sustain resistance.</p>

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An ecological framework to understand science mis/disinformation and active resistance to public health measures in the digital age

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月4日

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  • Yuxi Wang

摘要

Public health measures in global crises hinge on compliance, yet resistance to scientific authority has a long history, amplified by evolving communication technologies. From 19th-century smallpox riots to COVID-19 protests, distrust, denialism, and organised resistance have been fuelled by pamphlets, talk radio, and now, digital platforms. This article develops a multi-level theoretical synthesis—spanning micro-, meso-, and macro-levels—drawing from psychology, sociology, political science, and media studies. At the micro-level, cognitive processes such as identity-protective reasoning interact with social position, trust, and experience to shape how individuals interpret and respond to mis/disinformation. At the meso-level, social identity, cultural capital, and collective mobilisation transform scepticism into group-based resistance. At the macro-level, structural inequality, political economy, media ecology, and platform capitalism create societal conditions in which mis/disinformation flourishes and compliance erodes. By situating contemporary patterns within longer trajectories, the article highlights a persistent literature gap: while empirical research has mapped correlates of mis/disinformation, theoretical integration explaining why resistance emerges and persists remains underdeveloped. Addressing this gap is essential for advancing sociological understandings of health behaviours and designing strategies that target not only individuals but also the social and structural systems that sustain resistance.