Research
My research examines the psychological and behavioural dynamics of misinformation spreading and its consequences for consumers, brands, and digital trust. I focus on how both direct misinformation—content that explicitly targets brands, products, or messages—and indirect misinformation—broader misleading content in the information ecosystem that does not explicitly mention a focal object—shape consumer beliefs, attitudes, and marketplace relationships. This work has shown that misinformation can erode trust not only by misrepresenting specific targets but also by activating mistrust mindsets that spill over into unrelated decision contexts, influencing how people evaluate products, institutions, and marketing stimuli.
Another strand of my research explores how social media formats and source cues influence misinformation sharing and belief, and how information legitimacy can be enhanced or undermined through network and messaging features. I also investigate the dark side of social and influencer marketing, including how misleading or deceptively framed digital content affects engagement, perceptions, and marketplace outcomes.
My work contributes to theory by differentiating mechanisms of misinformation impact—from explicit brand attacks to diffuse, ecosystem-wide effects—and to practice by informing strategies for trust restoration and credible communication in digital environments.