Benjamin Simmonds
Higher Degree by Research Candidate
School of Psychology
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
I am a PhD Candidate in the School of Psychology.
My research concerns the spread of health-related misinformation online, and the role that experts can play in mitigating its impact by swaying public beliefs and sharing behaviour.
Misinformation represents a massive threat to the ability of health experts to convey important information to the public, especially during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to mitigate the spread of misinformation, it is important to understand the influence of experts amongst online discourse, and the steps that can be taken to maximise their persuasiveness.
My PhD aims to explore this area of research by investigating the possible interactions between expertise and other relevant cues decision-makers use to formulate their beliefs about health claims. This is conducted with the broader aim of equipping health experts with the tools necessary to counter online misinformation and improve the decision-making capabilities of the general public.
I am working under the supervision of Dr. Rachel Stephens and Dr. Keith Ransom.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2023 - ongoing Marker University of Adelaide 2023 - ongoing Research Assistant University of Melbourne 2022 - 2022 Research Assistant University of South Australia -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2023 University of Adelaide Australia PhD in Psychology 2019 - 2022 University of Adelaide Australia Honours Degree of Bachelor of Psychology (Advanced) -
Research Interests
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