Announcing My First Online Course: The Social Psychology of Misinformation

Join me for a 4-week deep dive into why false information spreads, how it shapes us, and what we can do about it.

I’m excited to share that I’m launching my first-ever online course here on Substack! The course focuses on my main research area — the social psychology of misinformation. I’ve taught a similar class at Vanderbilt University and will be leading a master’s seminar on this topic this semester, but I wanted to make it accessible to a wider audience. If you’ve ever wondered why we are susceptible to false information, why it spreads so easily, and what we can do to push back, this course is for you.

Over 4 weeks, we’ll dig into the science behind misinformation — from the psychology of belief to the role of AI and social media — and explore practical strategies for navigating our information-saturated world.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Week 1 — Defining, Measuring, and Studying Misinformation

• Different types of misinformation (and disinformation)

• How researchers study false information

• The challenges of measurement and why it matters

Week 2 — Identity, Trust, and Productive Dialogue

• How our identities and personal networks influence what we believe

• The role of trust (and distrust) in shaping our views

• Strategies for having more effective conversations across divides

Week 3 — Media Literacy and Education

• The impact of education on combating misinformation

• Media and digital literacy skills you can use (and can share with others)

• How prebunking and other scalable strategies work

Week 4 — AI, Social Media, and Algorithms

• How platforms shape what we see and believe

• The impact of AI-generated content, deepfakes, and algorithmic feeds

• What the future might look like, and how we can prepare

---

Format & Access

• Length: 4 weeks

• Format: Pre-recorded lecture + live Q&A session each week, plus a discussion board for ongoing conversation

• Starts: Sunday, August 25

• Access: Free for all current paid subscribers, and for new annual subscribers

If you’re already a paid subscriber, you’re in! 🙌
If you’re on the free list, now’s a great time to upgrade and join us.

Founding members can receive a 1:1 call with me during the course

---

How to Join
Become a new annual subscriber here for $50 a year (join before August 25th to get full access to the course). I will share a syllabus here next week.

Special Early-Bird Offer
To celebrate the launch of this course, I’m offering 20% off your first year of a paid subscription (so $40)— but only until Monday, August 18th. Click here for this limited-time offer!

Let’s explore together not just what misinformation is, but why it works, and how we can respond more effectively. Hope to see you there!