Nicholas DiFonzo, Ph.D.
Biography
Nicholas DiFonzo earned his Ph.D.
in Social & Organizational Psychology from
He has studied how rumors propagate through networks in social space and across time, the mechanisms by which rumors become accurate or distorted, motivations involved in rumor transmission, processes involved in believing a rumor, how rumor is differentiated from other forms of communication, the effects of hearing rumors and rumor denials, psychological mechanisms by which rumors are effectively refuted, how rumor processes are affected by organizational trust, and how rumors influence social and economic behavior.
Dr. DiFonzo received a grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate how rumors propagate through social networks over time. He also received funding from the Institute for Public Relations to study corporate rumors, their effects, and how top corporate public relations officers handle them. Dr. DiFonzo organized and maintains an Internet discussion group, Rumor-GossipResearch@listserver.rit.edu for scholars interested in the topics of rumor and gossip.
He has also pursued practical
applications of rumor theory including how harmful rumors may be most
effectively refuted. Dr. DiFonzo has given numerous presentations and invited
addresses at academic conferences on rumor, as well as seminars and lectures to
business audiences on rumor and rumor management. Dr. DiFonzo has served as
expert trial witness on the topic of rumor for the Procter & Gamble
Corporation and for the City of
Nicholas DiFonzo, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Rochester Institute of Technology
3176 George Eastman Bldg.
Office: 585-475-2907
FAX: 585-475-6715