Conducted by PIT
, Started on 2025 -
Completed on 2026
Completed
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The proliferation of visually manipulated content across social media platforms has intensified scholarly and public concern
regarding digital credibility assessment. While misinformation research has expanded considerably, empirical investigations
rarely distinguish between specific visual manipulation techniques and their differential effects on audience belief formation.
This study examines technique-specific associations between exposure to visual disinformation and credibility judgments
among Mass Communication students in the Philippines. Using a descriptive-correlational design, survey data were collected
from 30 upper-level communication students at a private university in the central Philippines during the 2023–2024 academic
year. The instrument measured exposure frequency to eight manipulation techniques—including cropping, video splicing,
photoshopping, misleading data visualization, and virtual performance—and assessed participants’ ability to classify
authentic and manipulated visual stimuli. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that exposure to video splicing was
significantly associated with credibility judgments (r = .46, p = .01), while other techniques did not demonstrate statistically
significant relationships. The findings suggest that dynamic audiovisual manipulation may activate stronger realism
heuristics than static image alterations. This study contributes to emerging scholarship on modality-specific effects in visual
disinformation and underscores the importance of targeted audiovisual verification training in journalism and
communication education.