Epistemic resilience of the individual to disinformation in the context of the digital post-truth society

Abstract

The conditions of the digital post-truth society intensify the decline in individuals’ ability to critically comprehend information, driven by the growing scale of disinformation flows, the algorithmization of the information environment, and the increasing influence of emotionally charged narratives. Under such conditions, epistemic resilience takes on particular significance as an integrative characteristic that enables an individual to critically evaluate the reliability of information in environments of informational uncertainty. Objective of the article is to provide a theoretical substantiation of the essence of epistemic resilience to disinformation and to develop conceptual models of its structure, influencing factors, and formation process in the context of the digital post-truth society. The research methods include analysis and synthesis of scholarly approaches, systematization of theoretical provisions, structural-functional modeling, and conceptual generalization. Results. The study identifies and systematizes the structural components of epistemic resilience (cognitive, emotional-regulatory, behavioral, and value-semantic), thereby enabling it to be presented as an integrative system of interrelated characteristics. The factors influencing its formation are identified and classified, including cognitive, psychological, social, technological, and educational dimensions, which may function as both destabilizing and stabilizing mechanisms. A process-based model of counteracting disinformation is developed, reflecting the sequence of stages of epistemic information filtering, from initial perception to the formation of a stable cognitive position. Conclusions. The obtained results allow epistemic resilience to be interpreted as a dynamic, multi-level characteristic formed through the interaction between the individual and the information environment, ensuring the capacity for critical selection and interpretation of information. The practical significance of the study lies in the potential to use the proposed models as a theoretical foundation for developing educational and cognitive strategies to enhance media literacy and foster critical thinking.