In the academic year 2024–2025, the Communication Science Department at the University of Amsterdam launched an interdisciplinary BA minor on Mis- and Disinformation. The program brings together expertise from persuasive communication, political communication, journalism, media and entertainment. One of its key components is the course Psychology of Misinformation, developed and co-taught by Dr. Anna Fenko (Persuasive Communication) and Dr. Chei Billedo (Media and Entertainment).

The course addresses the growing threat of misinformation in areas such as health, politics, science, culture, entertainment, and the environment. As access to online platforms has expanded for corporations, political actors, and advocacy groups, so too has the spread of misinformation across social and traditional media. Globally, various demographic groups now encounter misinformation daily, often without realizing its influence. This course examines the psychological mechanisms behind the processing and spread of misinformation and evaluates the effectiveness of various counterstrategies.

In the course, students explore how people assess the truthfulness of information using cognitive shortcuts and biases, including negativity bias, familiarity, availability heuristics, and coherence. The course also delves into more complex processes such as motivated reasoning, identity-protective cognition, emotional influences, processing fluency, and the illusion of truth. The impact of misinformation is considered across audiences and contexts, emphasizing psychological vulnerabilities that affect belief formation and resistance to correction.

A key feature of the course is its emphasis on evidence-based countermeasures. Students evaluate interventions such as correction, rebuttal, warning, disclosure, and psychological inoculation. They critically assess which techniques are most effective in reducing the persuasive power of misinformation for different audiences.

The course format combines interactive lectures with flipped-classroom tutorials. Students actively engage with scholarly literature via the digital annotation tool Perusall and apply their knowledge through in-class discussions, case analyses, and intervention design. Practical activities include analysing real-world examples of misinformation, designing anti-misinformation campaigns, and developing media literacy through innovative (online) games and simulations. The course concluded with a peer-led symposium, where students presented their group projects.

Student evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. Participants highlighted the relevance of the content to their lives. They praised the intellectually challenging material, the integration of theory and practice, and the engaging teaching methods. The flipped-classroom approach, which encouraged preparation and critical discussion, was particularly appreciated.

Reflecting on the course design and teaching process, we as educators also learned a couple of important lessons. First, open collaboration and mutual learning is essential when designing a course on a complex, multidisciplinary topic like misinformation. Second, students are remarkably constructive in the face of occasional imperfections, such as slightly unclear instructions, when they sense that their teachers are genuinely interested in the topic, open to dialogue, and trust them as active participants in the learning process.

Keywords: Psychology, misinformation, critical thinking, interactive lectures, online games, flipped classroom.