Dr. Abdul El-Sayed won the Michigan Democratic Senate primary despite being massively outspent. Outside groups spent roughly $70 million backing his opponent, compared with about $3 million supporting El-Sayed.
Matthew Facciani
@matthewfacciani.bsky.social
Social scientist @yalesph.bsky.social studying why we get fooled online, and what to do about it. Author of Misguided. https://amzn.to/48zTs59 https://matthewfacciani.substack.com www.matthewfacciani.com https://matthewfacciani.github.io/tools/
"A national retrospective cohort study of more than 2.5 million children found no association between receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine before age 2 years and having an autism diagnosis." www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-va...
No link between MMR vaccination before age 2 and autism, large US study suggests
The findings reinforce existing evidence of the safety of MMR vaccination, the authors say.
cidrap.umn.edu
A study of nearly 100,000 people across 66 countries found that societies that foster strong communities and supportive institutions tend to be happier overall. Creating conditions that help people support one another matters more than leaving happiness entirely up to individuals.
Global mapping of happiness: mechanisms, drivers, and pathways to societal happiness
This research investigates the mechanisms and drivers of worldwide happiness. We present a new theory describing two pathways to societal happiness: the individualistic pathway (‘let citizens take ...
tandfonline.com
Sometimes I'll see claims that "AI agents can do PhD level work" and this focuses on reproducing papers/methods. But that work isn't the same as developing the judgment to identify important questions, recognize when assumptions are wrong, and know which ideas are actually worth pursuing.
A new study finds that warning people about sycophantic AI makes them trust and like it less, but it does not make them any less likely to be persuaded by it. This suggests AI literacy and warning labels alone may not be enough to protect people from the influence of overly agreeable AI.
Individual-level interventions against sycophantic AI reduce its appeal but not its persuasiveness
AI chatbots can be "sycophantic," or overly agreeable and flattering toward users. Sycophantic AI has been shown to entrench attitudes, yet users frequently fail to recognize it (a phenomenon we call ...
arxiv.org
New study finds people who perceived scientists' communication as more risk-focused felt more concerned about a disease outbreak, and this effect was significantly stronger than for news reporting. www.meduniwien.ac.at/web/en/about...
Study highlights the particular importance of science communication for risk perception | MedUni Vienna
meduniwien.ac.at
Great example of engagement bait: a clearly fake, AI-generated post designed to trigger outrage. The trick is to get people reacting before they notice the signs of manipulation, like the strange wording or the unusually large blank space at the bottom of the receipt.
A new study finds that audiences connect with scientists less through credentials or demographic similarity and more through human qualities like curiosity, authenticity, and clear communication.
Forming Relationships With Scientists Through Film: A Qualitative Study of Viewers’ Trust, Identification, and Value Alignment - Nicole M. Krause, Emily L. Howell, Sarah S. Goodwin, 2026
Drawing on open-ended responses from a national U.S. survey (N = 630) of viewers of Observer, a documentary film featuring scientists engaged in practices of ob...
journals.sagepub.com
Most of the MAHA debate has focused on whether public health should engage. But it has missed the bigger question: who is actually present, and for how long? This piece explores the research on warmth, trust, and why one good conversation is never enough. matthewfacciani.substack.com/p/the-fight-...
The Fight Is About the Loudest. The Outcome Depends on the Quietest.
The public health debate over engagement misses the main mechanism: trust, built through relationships, sustained over time.
matthewfacciani.substack.com
There are lots of topics I simply don't comment on because I'm not informed enough or don't think I'd add anything useful. But my job isn't driven by clicks and shares, so I understand how easy it would be to weigh in on everything when engagement is what you're rewarded for.
More than $70 million worth of Bitcoin was recently stolen in a hack. One of the goals of cryptocurrency is reducing reliance on trusted intermediaries. In practice, though, trust doesn't disappear, it shifts.
A large Meta-backed experiment found that most people were exposed to very little content from known “untrustworthy” sources on Facebook and Instagram. theconversation.com/meta-backed-...
Meta-backed research finds exposure to ‘untrustworthy’ social media is rare. The fine print is less reassuring
There is a risk this study will be leveraged by big tech platforms to exonerate themselves.
theconversation.com
I built four free tools for navigating information online, and a guide for teachers, librarians, and facilitators on how to use them. They walk through four questions: Who am I? Who do I talk to and hear from? What deserves my attention? How do I check this claim?
12 of the largest right-wing influencers online have collectively seen their engagement plummet over the past year.
“the researchers argue, that AI chatbots could soon take over much of the scam process as fully independent fraud agents” www.wired.com/story/ai-sca...
AI Scammers Are Better at Building Trust Than Humans
Researchers pitted a person against a Claude agent and found that, after a week of texting, the AI chatbot was more effective at creating “exploitable trust” with others.
wired.com
I built four free tools for navigating information online, and a guide for teachers, librarians, and facilitators on how to use them. They walk through four questions: Who am I? Who do I talk to and hear from? What deserves my attention? How do I check this claim?
A new large-scale European study finds that when people feel their identity is under threat, they tend to prioritize security, control, and tradition over openness, and become less supportive of liberal democratic policies. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Identity threat, personal values, and political attitudes: Evidence from a large‐scale survey across the European Union
In political contexts, identities are typically based on shared values. Populist rhetoric often utilizes real and perceived threats to evoke such identities, especially on the far right. Using dedica...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
"Scientists did their darnedest within the systems they were handed and the polarized landscape we find ourselves in." yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/its-time-t...
It's time to leave the man alone.
One day in 2020, I went to a coffee shop.
yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com
A large field experiment found that platforms can dramatically reduce exposure to repeat untrustworthy sources, but doing so did not produce measurable changes in users' beliefs or attitudes. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Untrustworthy sources on Facebook and Instagram in 2020: Concentrated exposure but no attitudinal effects
Reducing exposure to untrustworthy sources on Facebook/Instagram had no measurable effects on attitudes, even for heavy consumers.
science.org
The incentives in American politics make going viral more rewarding than governing well. It's no wonder so much of what passes for political discourse is really just about creating content.
Why do people believe conspiracy theories? Research points to unmet needs for certainty, control, and belonging. My own research suggests that perceived victimhood is another key factor. medium.com/@m.j.faccian...
What Makes Someone Believe a Conspiracy Theory?
A massive new meta-analysis concludes that certainty, security, and belonging play a major role, and my own research finds that perceived…
medium.com
We are pleased to announce that Matthew Facciani's MISGUIDED is the Silver winner of the 2026 Nautilus Book Award in Psychology, Mental and Emotional Well-Being. buff.ly/OdpITTP #Misguided #Politics #ReadUP @matthewfacciani.bsky.social
My Indonesian media literacy game (Gali Fakta) was one of 72 interventions in this review. Solid critique: most studies never actually tested the theory's core mechanisms (threat, counterarguing), just assumed them. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
This study interviewed young adults who expressed support for conspiracy theories and found that, for many participants, conspiracy theories provided a sense of identity, community, and agency by helping them make sense of feelings of exclusion and powerlessness.
Why do influencers often get a pass for spreading inaccurate information? This paper argues that influencers cultivate "authentic expertise" by emphasizing personal experience, vulnerability, and transparency, making audiences more likely to forgive inaccurate information.
"The research found that AI-generated content appeared in 40% of top health-related TikTok videos, with most posted by a growing number of deepfake influencer accounts designed to resemble real doctors" www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Misleading AI-generated doctors pose ‘huge danger to public safety’
Research shows AI-generated physicians are gaining millions of views on TikTok by spreading dubious health advice
theguardian.com
A new study found that climate misinformation spikes during natural disasters, spreads through coordinated networks, and is amplified across low-moderation platforms such as Telegram. misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/ampl...
Amplifying the storm: Climate disinformation dynamics during natural disasters on right-wing extremist Telegram channels | HKS Misinformation Review
Climate change amplifies natural disasters, posing an existential threat to our society. However, a digital storm is raging on right-wing extremist Telegram channels where climate disinformation works...
misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu
Mayor Mamdani advocates for critical ignoring here! youtube.com/shorts/X3xz8...
Feedback vs. Noise | The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
YouTube video by The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
youtube.com
Two new episodes of Misguided: The Audio Edition are live! Chapter 1 covers the scope and consequences of misinformation & Chapter 2 goes inside the psychology of identity. Both have updated commentary with my thoughts a year after the book came out. matthewfacciani.substack.com/p/misguided-...
Misguided: The Audio Edition, Chapters 1 and 2
Two new audio chapters: the scope and consequences of misinformation, and the identity machinery that makes us more likely to believe it.
matthewfacciani.substack.com
Two new episodes of Misguided: The Audio Edition are live! Chapter 1 covers the scope and consequences of misinformation & Chapter 2 goes inside the psychology of identity. Both have updated commentary with my thoughts a year after the book came out. matthewfacciani.substack.com/p/misguided-...
Misguided: The Audio Edition, Chapters 1 and 2
Two new audio chapters: the scope and consequences of misinformation, and the identity machinery that makes us more likely to believe it.
matthewfacciani.substack.com