Podcast · Tech & Science

Misguided: The Podcast

by Matthew Facciani · English · Tech & Science

Misguided: The Podcast explores how social and psychological forces shape our understanding of the world. Hosted by social scientist Matthew Facciani, the show delves into the latest insights from sociology, psychology, and information science. Matthew shares his own research and engages in thought-

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest: 10 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

10 Sep 2026 · 56 min

What Wellness Influencers Don't Want You to Know

A few years ago, Andrea Ellis was a rising wellness influencer. She was a certified integrative health practitioner, made six figures a year from Instagram alone, and had built a community of followers who trusted her the way you’d trust a close friend. Today, she’s one of the most thoughtful critics of the industry. I sat down with Andrea for the latest episode of Misguided: The Podcast , and we dive into not just why people fall for wellness misinformation, but the actual business mechanics behind it, and how closely those mechanics mirror the “Big Pharma” boogeyman the wellness world…

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Earlier episodes 22 most recent

24 Jun 2026 · 9 min
Misguided: The Audio Edition — Introduction (Free Episode)
I’m launching Misguided: The Audio Edition right here on the newsletter. It’s a chapter-by-chapter audio companion to the book, with updated commentary on everything that’s happened since it went to press. Today, that series begins, and this first episode is free for everyone. Before you hit play, let me tell you a little more about what this project actually is and why it exists. Why this series When my book Misguided came out in early 2025, one of the most common things people told me was that they wished there was an audio version. So did I. My publisher explored it but ultimately…
13 May 2026 · 42 min
How Does Journalism Earn Trust?
In this episode of Misguided: The Podcast , I’m joined by Dr. Patrick Johnson, a journalism scholar at Marquette University whose work focuses on news literacy, trust in journalism, and the relationship between media institutions and the communities they serve. Before entering academia, Patrick spent years teaching high school journalism, an experience that continues to shape how he thinks about journalism not simply as information delivery, but as a form of public education. We begin by discussing why trust in journalism has become so fractured, and why treating distrust as a single problem…
24 Mar 2026 · 42 min
Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an American Evangelical Crisis
In this episode of Misguided: The Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Jared Stacy, a theologian and former pastor who studies how conspiracy theories take root within evangelical communities. Jared completed his PhD in ethics at the University of Aberdeen and is the author of the new book Reality in Ruins , which examines how disinformation becomes uniquely resistant to correction when it gets woven into religious belief. We start by talking about Jared’s concept of holy paranoia: the idea that conspiracy theory isn’t a bug in American evangelicalism but a feature. The core argument is that once…
26 Feb 2026 · 44 min
The Hidden Social Forces Behind Misinformation
In this episode of Misguided: The Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Cecilie Steenbuch-Traberg, a professor at the Copenhagen Business School who studies how social context shapes our susceptibility to misinformation, and what interventions actually work to counter it. Cecilie’s path into the field took a detour through marketing before she found her true passion: not trying to persuade people, but protecting them from being persuaded. We start by talking about how the classic p re-bunking games (like Bad News and Harmony Square) hold up when you test them in more realistic social conditions. The…
24 Feb 2026 · 26 min
Why We Believe Misinformation and How We Can Protect Ourselves Against it
Here is my live video chat with Mike Nellis as a bonus podcast episode. I really enjoyed our conversation about the social psychology of why we believe false information, and how we can strengthen our media literacy through strategies like critical ignoring. We also discussed the broader structural and platform-level challenges that make today’s information environment so difficult to navigate. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit matthewfacciani.substack.com/subscribe
20 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 16 min
The Psychology of Virality in the Age of AI
In this episode of Misguided: The Podcast , I’m joined by Dr. Steve Rathje, who is a social psychology postdoc at NYU, and a soon-to-be assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Steve’s work sits at the intersection of psychology, social media, and artificial intelligence. Steve studies how platform design, attention, and emerging technologies shape political polarization, belief formation, and online behavior. We begin by talking about Steve’s non-traditional path into psychology, which started in theater before turning into a research career focused on how people think, feel, and…
18 Dec 2025 · 56 min
Foolproof: How to Build Resistance to Misinformation
In this episode of Misguided: The Podcast , I’m joined by Sander van der Linden , who is a professor of social psychology at the University of Cambridge and one of the leading researchers studying misinformation, propaganda, and how people can build resistance to manipulation. If you’re familiar with the idea of “prebunking,” or psychological inoculation (training people to recognize misinformation before they encounter it), much of that work traces back to Sander’s research. We begin by talking about his non-traditional path into psychology, from leaving a banking job to discovering…
24 Nov 2025 · 43 min
Bespoke Realities, Invisible Rulers, and the Battle for Truth
In this episode of Misguided , I’m joined by Renee DiResta to talk about how she went from a winding career in tech, finance, and Silicon Valley startups to becoming one of the leading analysts of online influence. Renée traces the shift back to a personal moment: after having her first child in 2013, she noticed a concerning amount of anti-vaccine content across Facebook communities. She started quietly studying those communities and doing network analysis at night, work that eventually became her full-time focus. We spend a lot of time on a core idea from her book Invisible Rulers “bespoke…
12 Nov 2025 · 37 min
Thinking as Freedom: Building Mental Immunity in a Noisy World
In this episode, I talk with philosopher and author Andy Norman, founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative and author of Mental Immunity . Andy shares how a provocative 1990s essay by Richard Dawkins sparked his lifelong pursuit to understand how bad ideas spread, and how we can protect our minds from them. We unpack what it means to build mental immunity, why sketchy ideas behave like mind-viruses, and how habits of curiosity, humility, and self-reflection strengthen our cognitive defenses. Our conversation spans from the philosophy of reasoning to practical education…
28 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Everyday Extraordinary: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable
In this episode, I talk with sociologist and author Barry Markovsky about his path into social science and his career studying science vs. pseudoscience. Barry shares lessons from his hit “Sociology of the Paranormal” class, previews his forthcoming book Everyday Extraordinary, which pairs front-stage stories with back-stage analysis, and explains how social networks and identity shape what we believe. We also talk about writing, AI’s effect on thinking, and finding a sense of wonder through science instead of the supernatural. I was fortunate to take several of Barry’s classes in graduate…
10 Sep 2025 · 58 min
Helping High School Students Think Critically About Media
In this episode, I chat with educator, political scientist, and author Tim Redmond to discuss his path from a PhD in political science to a high school teacher building a standout course on critical thinking. Tim shares how discovering psychology after academia reshaped his approach, why identity sits at the center of our information habits, and how blending psychological literacy, media literacy, and scientific literacy helps teens (and the rest of us) think better. When talking to Tim, I actually summarized his work into those three pillars of literacy as they map onto my own work as well.…
31 Aug 2025 · 58 min
The Irrational Ape: Facts, Feelings, and the Spread of Misinformation
Physicist and author of The Irrational Ape , David Robert Grimes, joins me to explore why facts alone rarely change minds. Drawing on his background in medical physics, statistics, cancer research, and public health—as well as his work in science communication—David explains how conspiracies spread, why the “information deficit” model falls short, and what effective media literacy actually looks like. The conversation also dives into the deeper social and structural forces that shape our health, why changing your mind should be celebrated rather than stigmatized, and how to rebuild trust in…
15 Aug 2025 · 51 min
Misguided: A Lunchtime Chat About Misinformation with Matthew Facciani and Elisabeth Marnik
Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video with Elisabeth Marnik, PhD ! We discussed my new book Misguided , the social science of misinformation, and how we can promote critical thinking and better media literacy. We also discussed the psychology and sociology behind false beliefs, the importance of trust and identity, and what actually works when combating misinformation and promoting science communication. Thanks to everyone who tuned in — more live chats to come! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit…
28 Jul 2025 · 30 min
Between Worlds: Identity, Vulnerability, and the Power of Critical Thinking
I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Esha Lovrić—social scientist, educator, and advocate for critical thinking—about how life transitions and emotional vulnerability shape the way we interpret the world around us. Esha shares her personal journey as a Fijian Indian immigrant navigating Western culture, and how those early experiences led her to sociology—and eventually to teaching critical thinking as a tool for self-understanding. We explore the concept of liminal spaces —those uncertain, in-between phases of life—and how they can leave us more open to misinformation, conspiracy…
15 Jul 2025 · 41 min
Thinking Is Power: Helping People Navigate Truth, Science, and Bias
In this episode, I talk with Melanie Trecek-King — biology professor, science communicator, and creator of Thinking Is Power . I’ve been a fan of her content for years, and it was great to finally chat with her on my podcast. We discuss her journey from teaching biology and ecology to developing a critical thinking course that teaches skills, not just facts. Melanie shares how her frustration with traditional science education inspired her to focus on critical thinking education, skepticism, and understanding our own biases. We also talk about the challenges of engaging with misinformation…
20 Jun 2025 · 46 min
Preparing High School Students to Navigate Disinformation and Polarization
In this episode of Misguided , I’m joined by Dr. Kevin Meuwissen, professor of education at the University of Rochester, to explore one of the most urgent questions in education today: how do we prepare young people to navigate a world overflowing with disinformation, political polarization, and fractured trust? We discuss Kevin’s journey from high school teacher to researcher, and how those experiences shaped his work training educators to tackle tough topics like conspiracy theories, fake news, and historical distortion in the classroom. He shares how his professional learning cadre helps…
17 Apr 2025 · 39 min
Beyond the Buzzword: Rethinking Misinformation with Claire Wardle
Today’s guest is Dr. Claire Wardle, a professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University and one of the world’s leading experts on misinformation, media literacy, and public trust in science. Over the past two decades, she’s trained journalists around the globe, worked with organizations like the UN and the BBC, and co-founded both the nonprofit First Draft and the Information Futures Lab at Brown University. In this conversation, we dive into the challenges of defining and labeling misinformation, the importance of clear communication during times of uncertainty, and the…
13 Mar 2025 · 28 min
Bridging the Past and Present: History, Truth, and Social Connection
In this episode of Misguided , Matthew Facciani speaks with historian and Analog Social founder Shae Omonijo about making history accessible, the importance of community, and how digital culture is reshaping human connection. Shae shares what inspired her to pursue a PhD in history, her efforts to bring historical knowledge to the public, and the origins of Analog Social, a project focused on reclaiming real-world interactions in a digital age. They also discuss how history is shaped, erased, and distorted—and how those lessons can help us combat misinformation today. Shae’s Harvard Website…
5 Mar 2025 · 20 min
How to Think Like a Fact-Checker with Joel Breakstone
In this episode of Misguided , Dr. Joel Breakstone, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Digital Inquiry Group, joins me to discuss how we can better equip students to evaluate online information in an era of misinformation and AI-driven content. We explore the challenges of digital literacy, why some traditional fact-checking methods fall short, and evidence-based strategies—such as lateral reading—that actually help students distinguish credible sources from misinformation. Dr. Breakstone also shares insights from his research on how fact-checkers, students, and academics approach…
24 Feb 2025 · 39 min
Kate the Chemist: From Blowing Things Up to Breaking Down Misinformation
In this episode of Misguided: The Podcast , I sit down with Dr. Kate Biberdorf—also known as Kate the Chemist —to discuss her journey from chemistry professor to science communicator and her new role as The University of Notre Dame’s Professor for the Public Understanding of Science. We explore the importance of making science engaging, the challenges of combating misinformation, and how social media can be both a powerful tool and a challenge for scientists. Dr. Biberdorf also shares insights into her approach to breaking down complex topics, her experiences blowing things up on TV, and her…
31 Jan 2025 · 32 min
Parenting in the Age of Misinformation
Summary In this episode of Misguided the Podcast , host Matthew Facciani interviews Kavin Senapathy, a science writer and author of The Progressive Parent . We discuss various types of misinformation in parenting, the complexities of trust in scientific organizations, and the need for a nuanced understanding of health and medicine. Kavin also addresses the societal pressures surrounding breastfeeding and advocates for a broader perspective on child well-being. Kavin Senapathy’s new book: The Progressive Parent Follow Kavin on Instagram and Facebook Kavin’s website Keywords science…
22 Jan 2025 · 28 min
Attack from Within: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Misinformation
Summary In the first episode of Misguided: The Podcast , host Matthew Facciani speaks with legal analyst and professor Barbara McQuade about the rise of misinformation and disinformation in the modern media landscape. They examine how technology accelerates the spread of false information, the erosion of public trust in institutions, and the role of transparency and community engagement in rebuilding that trust. McQuade highlights the need for both systemic reforms and individual action, emphasizing education and digital literacy as key tools for combating misinformation. The conversation…

About Misguided: The Podcast

Misguided: The Podcast is a English tech & science podcast from Matthew Facciani. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Matthew Facciani
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest episode: 10 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1792074637
Rights: Matthew Facciani

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