After misinformation has been corrected individuals initially update their belief extremely well. However, this change is rarely sustained over time, with belief returning towards pre-correction levels. In this latest edition of the Misinformation Speaker Series, Briony Swire-Thompson discusses a study aimed to examine the mechanisms of belief regression, and whether corrected misinformation suffers more from belief regression than affirmed facts.

Briony Swire-Thompson is the director of the Psychology of Misinformation Lab at Northeastern University. Her research investigates what drives belief in inaccurate information, why certain individuals are predisposed to refrain from belief change even in the face of good corrective evidence, and how corrections can be designed to maximize impact. She is currently funded by a NIH Pathway to Independence Award from the National Cancer Institute.