My research

aims to analyse the impact of messages of science denialism on individuals’ health decision-making and to design interventions to reduce their persuasive influence.

Science denialism is an approach that has the ultimate goal of rejecting a proposition on which a scientific consensus exists. In the age of mass media, science denialism has multiplied its reach and availability, threatening the acceptance and lifesaving use of health-treatments and prevention behavior – e.g. HIV-treatments or vaccines. Deniers use different techniques, such as conspiracy theories or false logic, to promote their messages of science denial.

To understand the impact of messages of science denialism on individuals’ health decisions, I apply an empirical judgement and decision-making perspective. In addition, I use literature from the fields of debunking, inoculation and rebuttal to design and test promising interventions. My aim is to generate basic research findings applicable to recommendations and guidelines for health authorities.

Keywords: psychology, health decision-making, persuasion, mis-disinformation, science denialism

Translating research into guidance

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Contact

You can contact me via social media, email or telephone. My social media links are provided above (next to the profile picture). Links to my Researchgate and Orcid profiles are provided below.

Phone: +49 361 737-1635
Email: Please click here to Email me directly
Researchgate: My ResearchGate Profile
Orcid ID: My Orcid Profile

Institution

University of Erfurt Profile
Center of Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences CEREB
Media and Communication Science – Psychology and Infectious Diseases Lab PIDI
Member of the University of Erfurt network GENIA

Current position

Postdoctoral researcher in the Horizon 2020 project JITSUVAX at Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany