Abstract: In today’s complex information landscape, individuals face an unprecedented challenge: determining what is real, trustworthy, and worth believing. This talk takes an individual-centered approach to strengthening information integrity by enhancing both users’ motivation and their literacy skills. Through two studies, one using an experimental design and the other focused on scale development, I examine how incentives can encourage proactive verification behaviors and introduce the Digital Media and Information Literacy (DMIL) Scale, a validated tool that captures the multidimensional nature of media literacy across cultural contexts. Together, these studies offer insights into how we can strengthen media literacy at scale and foster a more resilient public in an increasingly AI-shaped information environment.

Guest Speaker Info:

Speaker: Sijia Qian

Job Title: Assistant Professor at UNC Charlotte School of Data Science

Bio: Dr. Sijia Qian is an Assistant Professor in the School of Data Science at UNC Charlotte. She earned her Ph.D. in Communication with a specialization in Computational Social Science from the University of California, Davis. Her research examines how emerging communication technologies, particularly social media and artificial intelligence (AI), shape public perceptions and influence decision-making. She is especially interested in how these technologies can be leveraged to build a more reliable information ecosystem and advance social good in health, science, and political contexts.