About Me
Hi! My name is Kara Fort and I am a current Ph.D. candidate at The Ohio State University.
My research focuses on understanding how and why individuals find certain types of information or evidence persuasive. I approach this question from three main angles: (1) how message features may spur metacognitive experiences, such as feelings of ease or difficulty, that impact information evaluations, (2) why people hold misperceptions and how they defend their false beliefs, and (3) how beliefs about knowledge, facts, and truth impact how we evaluate and understand information and evidence. My research works to integrate theories of metacognition, information processing, persuasion, and epistemology from diverse fields such as educational psychology, social psychology, mass communication, persuasion, and political communication. Beyond academia, my research also aims to understand important drivers behind declining levels of trust in experts and science and to address these shortcomings through novel means.
When I am not working on research or preparing for class, I love reading giant fantasy or sci-fi series (I’m anxiously awaiting Winds of Winter, George!), cooking a new recipe, or spending time with my dog, Murphy Bear.
Email: fort.40@osu.edu