Zilber College Public Health Seminar – Trust Issues: Why We Believe What We Believe and What It Means for Public Health

Presented by:
Matthew Facciani, PhD — Associate Research Scientist
Yale School of Public Health

Drawing on social psychology, network science, and trust research, this talk explores how identity, social networks, and information environments shape what we believe and why we trust some sources over others. Rather than treating misinformation as a knowledge deficit, it examines the social and psychological forces that shape belief and trust, and what they mean for public health communication.

About the presenter:
Matthew Facciani is a social scientist at the Yale School of Public Health, where he studies how people form beliefs, evaluate information, and navigate an increasingly complex media environment. His research examines misinformation, media literacy, social networks, political polarization, trust, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on what these dynamics mean for public health communication. He is the author of the award-winning book, Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It (Columbia University Press), host of Misguided: The Podcast and the Misguided newsletter, and a science communicator working to bridge research and everyday conversations about information, trust, and technology.

Beyond academia, Matthew is a science communicator dedicated to making complex social science research accessible to broad audiences. He writes for Psychology Today, has spoken at national conferences, and hosts the Misguided newsletterand podcast, where he explores how social and psychological forces shape the way people process information. His book, Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It (Columbia University Press, 2025), received the 2025 Choice Outstanding Academic Title award and a 2026 Nautilus Book Award. He also develops free media literacy tools for public and educational use.