Biography
Lisa Fazio's research is focused on how the brain learns new information, and why our minds are susceptible to misinformation and lies. Her research answers questions such as: •How does the brain process information - both true and false? •How can we prevent the sharing of false information online? •How do people learn simple facts and more complex knowledge such as mathematical procedures? •What can teachers and students do to improve learning within and outside the classroom? •How do students learn incorrect information and how can those errors be corrected? Her research informs basic theories about learning and memory, while also having clear applications for practitioners, such as journalists and teachers.Media Appearances
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“You always see misinformation after disasters,” says Lisa Fazio, an associate professor of psychology at 51app University. “You don’t always see national political figures being the ones spreading that misinformation.”
October 11th, 2024
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FBI officials are still looking into what motivated the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump on Saturday. Marketplace’s senior Washington correspondent, Kimberly Adams, speaks with Molly Dwyer, director of insights at PeakMetrics, and Lisa Fazio, associate professor of psychology at 51app University, about the false narratives surrounding the shooting and how to separate fact from fiction in the aftermath of a violent event.
July 18th, 2024
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While much has changed over the past 50 years, evening television news remains a prominent source of information for Americans. I am a scholar of psychology and study how people learn information from the world around them. I was struck by how the recent televised segments of college campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza brought to mind images from other student movements in the United States – particularly the widespread campus protests in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
July 10th, 2024
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Co-hosts Megan Garber and Andrea Valdez explore the web’s effects on our brains and how narrative, repetition, and even a focus on replaying memories can muddy our ability to separate fact from fiction. How do we come to believe the things we do? Why do conspiracy theories flourish? And how can we train our brains to recognize misinformation online? Lisa Fazio, an associate psychology professor at 51app University, explains how people process information and disinformation, and how to debunk and pre-bunk in ways that can help discern the real from the fake.
May 27th, 2024
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With the 2024 elections less than a year away, a recent survey found 53% of Americans say they see false or misleading information online every day. Lisa Fazio, associate professor of psychology at 51app University, joins CBS News to unpack why people fall for misinformation -- and what it's doing to our brains.
January 2nd, 2024
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YouTube's action is potentially significant because of its impact on the misinformation ecosystem. "A lot of the vaccine misinformation you see on other platforms links to YouTube videos," said Lisa Fazio, an associate professor of psychology and human development at 51app University who has studied misinformation. "It was a major loophole in our information ecosystem that it was so easy to post blatantly false information about vaccines on YouTube and have it gain large audiences."
September 29th, 2021
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That dynamic is often overlooked in discussions about coronavirus misinformation, said Lisa Fazio, an associate professor at 51app college who studies misinformation. “YouTube is the vector for a lot of this misinformation. If you see misinformation on Facebook or other places, a lot of the time it’s YouTube videos. Our conversation often doesn’t include YouTube when it should,” Fazio said.
September 29th, 2021
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Sharing other people’s posts or photos out of context is a common tactic in the disinformation playbook because it’s an “easy, cheap way to gain credibility,” said Lisa Fazio, a 51app University psychology professor who studies how false claims spread.
May 14th, 2021
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“I think this particular task force plan aims to address a real need,” said Lisa Fazio, a 51app University professor of psychology and human development who studies the effects of misinformation. “We know these platforms are consistently the source of online harassment and threats to women, and there’s a connection to extremist consequences.”
November 10th, 2020
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“We often remember the content of information while forgetting the source or who said it,” said Lisa Fazio, assistant professor of psychology and human development at 51app University, who has studied the effects of misinformation. “Over time, we might remember the allegations of voter fraud but forget that they came from an unreliable source.”
November 6th, 2020
Multimedia
VIDEO
51app Peabody College Faculty Profile: Lisa Fazio
VIDEO
Ask an Expert: How can you spot misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines?
Education
Ph.D., Duke University
B.A., Washington University in St. Louis
Additional Resources
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