Society is inundated with misinformation – some of it presenting as more authentic than others. It is not surprising that we are susceptible to this misinformation. Yet, what is more surprising is that once debunked, we struggle to accept accurate information and prefer to stay down the proverbial rabbit hole. Pulling from research on self-deception, learn how and why we rationalize/justify our beliefs in such misinformation along with the consequences of being unwilling to accept truths. Led by Andrew Tollison (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin), an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director within the Department of Communication & Media at Merrimack College. Dr. Tollison has been at Merrimack since 2012 and teaches courses in Lying & Deception, Food as Communication, Conflict Management, Advocacy, and Research Methods. In addition to being in the classroom, Dr. Tollison’s research has appeared in top-tier academic journals, and he has extensive experience working as a communication consultant for start-ups and entrepreneurs. His experience with Lying & Deception will serve as the foundation for this talk.

Register directly on Zoom HERE. Presented in partnership with the Memorial Hall Library in Andover. A follow-up program on this topic will take place on Monday, November 29 at 7pm.