Embrace The Void Misguided with Matthew Facciani
Aug 20, 2025
Matthew Facciani, a social scientist at Notre Dame and author of 'Misguided', dives deep into the origins and spread of misinformation. He explores the psychological mechanisms that allow false beliefs to persist, and how identity dynamics fuel susceptibility to misinformation, especially regarding health issues like vaccinations. Facciani emphasizes the need for media literacy and improved communication to rebuild trust in institutions. The conversation also tackles radical societal changes necessary for human flourishing in today’s polarized world.
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Social Learning Creates Misinformation Risk
- Humans are social learners whose beliefs form inside communities and social identities.
- That social learning creates unavoidable risks for misinformation which require mindful safeguards.
Identity Overlap Amplifies Resistance
- Low social identity complexity means many important identities overlap tightly.
- That overlap makes challenges to beliefs feel like personal attacks and increases rejection of corrective information.
COVID Vaccine Timeline Illustrates Partisan Framing
- Matthew uses the COVID-19 vaccine timeline to show partisan framing shifted uptake.
- Trump developed the vaccine but its public rollout under Biden let partisan distrust and institutional distrust amplify rejection.
