The Correction of Misinformation | Binge Thinking
About this Event
Welcome to Binge Thinking! We host professors at local pubs to give talks on fascinating topics.
Topic: The Correction of Misinformation
Speaker: Melanie Swire-Thompson (Northeastern University)
Why do people continue believing things even after they’ve been proven false?
In an age of endless newsfeeds, viral posts, conspiracy theories, and AI-generated content, misinformation has become one of the defining problems of modern life. But according to cognitive psychologist Dr. Melanie Swire-Thompson, simply giving people the facts often isn’t enough.
Her research explores the psychology behind belief formation, resistance to evidence, and why some corrections succeed while others completely fail.
In this talk, Dr. Swire-Thompson will explain how misinformation changes the way we think — and what science says about how to actually correct it.
Topics include:
- Why people believe inaccurate information in the first place
- Why some individuals resist changing their beliefs even when presented with strong evidence
- How effective corrections and fact-checks are designed
- The surprising limitations of fact-checking
- When corrections improve accuracy — and when they backfire
This talk combines psychology, media, politics, and cognitive science to explore one of the biggest challenges of the internet age.
Agenda:
7:00 PM - Doors Open, drinks and socializing
7:30 PM - Lecture begins
8:10 PM - Audience Q&A
8:30-9:00 PM - More drinks and conversation
Come meet curious people, grab a drink, and learn something new.
Think Responsibly.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 32.95
