Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
7-28-2026
Abstract
Inoculation theory-based interventions, prebunking, and media literacy education are often discussed together because all three can help people resist harmful information. Their overlap, however, does not make them interchangeable. This essay argues that clearer distinctions are needed, especially between inoculation and prebunking. Inoculation theory centers on threat-motivated resistance to influence, whereas prebunking is more accurately understood as refutational preemption. Media literacy education is a broader educational context in which either approach may be used. I focus in particular on the difference between forewarning and threat, arguing that forewarning may reasonably support inferences about threat in some contexts but should not be treated as equivalent to threat, especially when making claims about how inoculation works. These distinctions matter for theory-building, intervention design, and media literacy scholarship. Preserving the boundary conditions of each concept allows scholars and educators to recognize their shared value without collapsing them into a single approach.
Recommended Citation
INFORMATION REMOVED, AUTHOR, "Inoculation Interventions, Prebunking, and Media Literacy Education are Not the Same" (2026). JMLE Submissions Open for Review. Paper 2.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle-ofr/2