Παρουσίαση/Προβολή

Why are fake news and misinformation about politics and public policy seemingly so prevalent and hard to address? This course will explore the political and psychological factors that drive citizens to consume fake news, the manner in which they update their opinions, what interventions may decrease exposure to misinformation and the formation of misperceptions, and why these interventions often fail to produce the intended results. Moreover, we will analyze how political elites leverage citizens' vulnerability to misinformation and discuss possible approaches that journalists, NGOs, governments, and technology platforms could employ to reduce the spread and effects of fake news. Students will develop substantive expertise in how to diagnose and respond to misinformation and misperceptions about politics and public policy.

Grading

Grading will be based on continuous active participation and weekly in-class presentations. 

1. Introduction

2. What is a misperception? Who is misinformed?

3. Motivated Reasoning

4. The rational public and Bayesian learning

5. The psychology of false beliefs

6. Bias in information exposure, processing, and interpretation

7. Applications: Climate change, COVID-19, immigration

8. Rumors, social media, and online misinformation

9. Expert and crowd-sourced fact-checking

10. Empowering individuals to resist misinformation

11. Structural interventions to reduce online misinformation

12. Misinformation: Implications for democracy