Seeking Truth: Misinformation Impact Outcomes
Seeking Truth: Misinformation
Students in the Humanities Lab partnered with faculty Keith Hollinger, Teaching Professor in the CISA School of Applied Sciences and Arts, and Marie-Louise Paulesc, Faculty Head and Teaching Professor in the CISA School of Applied Sciences and Arts, along with Hayden Library librarians Mary Ann Naumann and Sierra Schuman from E-Learning and Instruction, to examine how misinformation shapes polarization, trust, and communication in everyday life. Through faculty, student, and librarian collaboration, research, and community engagement, students explored how misinformation affects relationships across generations and within families, and why fact-based approaches alone often fall short. This work culminated in several public-facing impact outcomes, including an intergenerational dialogue event and a research-driven social media campaign, that translated scholarship into actionable tools for empathy, dialogue, and shared understanding beyond the classroom. Scroll down to learn more.
Student Outcomes
The Role of Mis/Disinformation in Fueling Hate and Polarization in Arizona
Students from the Seeking Truth: Misinformation Lab examined how misinformation contributes to polarization, mistrust, and misunderstanding across generations and communities. Through research and observation, this student group developed a project that explores how people of all ages are vulnerable to misinformation despite differences in how they consume and interpret media. To address these challenges the students designed and hosted an intergenerational, game-based dialogue event in partnership with Mirabella at ASU. Using collaborative activities, discussion prompts, and a Jeopardy-style experience, the project created a low-stakes environment for conversation, shared learning, and empathy-building across generations. For more information, click here.
Project Rabbit
The "Project Rabbit" team explored how misinformation affects trust, relationships, and communication within families and communities. Through research and collaborative discussion, these students examined how misinformation often creates loneliness, defensiveness, and social division that cannot be resolved through facts alone. In response, the team developed a socially driven digital media campaign focused on encouraging empathetic, relationship-centered conversations around misinformation. The project emphasized curiosity, active listening, and mutual understanding as tools for fostering healthier dialogue in increasingly polarized environments. For more information, click here.
Community Panel Experiences
As part of the Seeking Truth: Misinformation Lab, students participated in two expert panel discussions in their classroom that examined the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to misinformation.
Industry Expert Panel 1
The first panel discussion brought together media professionals (radio, television and print), a public health expert and a non-partisian leader to explore how misinformation spreads across digital platforms, news media, and interpersonal networks. Conversations focused on the root causes of misinformation, including political polarization, emotional manipulation, algorithm-driven content, and declining trust in institutions. Students engaged with panelists in discussions surrounding media literacy, critical thinking, and the social impact of misinformation in everyday life.
Guest panelists included: Mi-Ai Parish - The Integrity Project; Maria Barquin - Program Director La Campesina; Will Humble - Arizona Public Health Association; Joshua Garland; Garrett Archer-ABC 15; Gilberto Lopez
ASU Research Panel 2
The second panel centered on strategies for addressing and preventing misinformation through education, empathy, and community dialogue. Panelists discussed the importance of relationship-centered conversations, responsible media consumption, and creating spaces where people can engage across differing perspectives without hostility or judgment. Through interactive discussion and audience participation, the event encouraged students to reflect on how empathy, trust-building, and collaborative communication can help reduce misinformation and strengthen public understanding.
Guest panelists included: Alexander Soto - Labriola National American Indian Data Center, Labriola team; Michael Simeone - ASU Data Science and Analytics; Gina Woodall - ASU Futures Center; Arizona State Climate Office
Game Based Community Event
The images below highlight the student team behind The Role of Mis/Disinformation in Fueling Hate and Polarization in Arizona project as they partner with residents of Mirabella Retirement Community at ASU for an interactive Jeopardy-style event that brought their research to life through dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning.
Student Testimonials
I highly recommend this lab for people looking to learn more about AI and Misinformation, those who want to help positively impact the ASU community around them, people considering thesis subjects, or anybody who needs to meet their honors requirements. This class is extremely relevant.
Rylie Reese
W.P. Carey Business Law major
The team I was on was a real dream team. We had an engineer, two journalism majors (one was a writer and the other was a social media content manager), a marketing major and myself as a graduate student with a research background. That mix allowed us to turn our research into an actionable social media post and accompanying OpEd where we presented our findings through the ASU library.
Ashley Holzman
MS student in Integrative Social Science
The Lab is a rare space where creativity, scholarship, and purpose come together. It empowers students to tackle real-world problems and produce solutions that matter, all while learning from each other’s
diverse perspectives.
Anish Verma
MS student in Integrative Social Science
By participating in this Humanities Lab, I have become more confident working with others across multiple disciplines and specialties, which is a skill that I will carry with me in the future as a professional and a creative. Overall, the Lab was a highly effective way for me to strengthen my leadership skills and my abilities to be an active part of
a community of diverse thoughts and abilities.
Shirley Tomoyo Horowitz
Pursuing International Business Studies
Media Coverage
The State Press. Opinion: How to pull your family members out of the information rabbit hole. By: Niall Rosenberg (05/08/2025)
Instagram. What's a Rabbit. by: asulibraries
Collaborative Partners
- Mi-Ai Parrish, Managing Director and Professor of Practice, ASU Media Enterprise
- The Integrity Project
- Cesar Chavez Foundation
- Will Humble, MPH – AzPHA Executive Director
- Joshua Garland Center Director & Associate Research Professor, The Center on Information and Narrative Complexity
- Garrett Archer, abc15 Arizona
- Gilberto Lopez Assistant Professor, School of Transborder Studies
- Alexander Soto Center Director and Assistant Librarian, Labriola National American Indian Data Center
- Labriola team
- Michael Simeone Research Associate Professor, School of Complex Adaptive Systems
- Erinanne Saffell Associate Teaching Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning
Note: The views presented or expressed on this page are those of the speaker or author only and do not necessarily represent the views of Arizona State University.