Dr. Beatrice Capestany
PhD in Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University
Senior Director, Solutions Consulting at quantilope
I study why people believe what they believe—and how to apply that knowledge to solve real business problems. My research on the allure of scientific evidence,cognitive biases, and credibility assessment reveals why misinformation works at a fundamental level.
Now I apply that expertise commercially: consulting with Fortune 500 brands on AI-powered research, uncovering customer insights, and translating behavioral science into business strategy.
The Problem with Misinformation
Most approaches treat misinformation as an information problem—just provide the right facts and people will believe them.
But my research shows something different: people are seduced by the appearance of credibility, not credibility itself. Citations, scientific language, and authoritative framing can be more persuasive than actual truth.
To fight misinformation effectively, you need to understand why humans fall for it in the first place.
Domain Expertise
A unique combination of academic research and commercial AI application in understanding how people evaluate truth and make decisions.
The Allure of Scientific Evidence
Doctoral research on how scientific-sounding language and citations create a veneer of legitimacy that bypasses critical thinking—the exact vulnerability that bad actors exploit.
Cognitive Biases & Credibility
Deep expertise in how cognitive biases shape credibility assessment. Understanding why humans find certain claims compelling—even when false—is essential for building effective verification systems.
Dehumanization & Decision-Making
Research on how disgust and biological descriptions bias logical reasoning in high-stakes decisions—revealing mechanisms that misinformation campaigns exploit.
Generative AI Strategy
Two years consulting on generative AI applications in market research—helping clients understand capabilities, limitations, and practical use cases.
Source & Citation Psychology
Expert understanding of how people evaluate sources and why citation-heavy content can be weaponized for false credibility. Critical for designing verification systems.
Consumer Psychology at Scale
Implicit research methods, mental availability tracking, and behavioral experiments with Fortune 500 clients across media, entertainment, and technology.
Industry Experience
Consulting with global brands on AI-powered research and behavioral science solutions
Senior Director, Solutions Consulting
quantilope
Client Consulting & Problem-Solving
- Discovering customer problems and designing research solutions
- Advising on generative AI applications for consumer insights
- Translating complex behavioral science into actionable strategy
Leadership & Client Success
- Leading global pre/post-sales consulting teams
- Fortune 500 clients in media, entertainment, and tech
- Bridging academic research and commercial application
Research Foundation
Why Misinformation Works
My research reveals the psychological mechanisms that make false claims persuasive:
- Scientific language triggers automatic trust responses
- Citations create perceived credibility independent of accuracy
- Emotional framing (especially disgust) overrides logical analysis
- Dehumanizing descriptions bias decision-making processes
Implications for Verification Systems
Understanding these mechanisms reveals what effective fact-checking must do:
- Work with human cognition, not against it
- Use adversarial methods that mirror natural evaluation
- Evaluate source quality separately from citation quantity
- Account for emotional manipulation in claim assessment
Selected Publications
- •Capestany, B. H., & Harris, L. T. (2014). Disgust and biological descriptions bias logical reasoning during legal decision-making. Social Neuroscience, 9(3), 265-277.→ How emotional framing overrides logical reasoning in high-stakes decisions
- •Farahany, N. A., Greely, H. T., et al. (including Capestany, B. H.) (2018). The ethics of experimenting with human brain tissue. Nature, 556, 429-432.→ Ethical frameworks for emerging neurotechnology
- •Harris, L. T., Capestany, B. H., & Tan, J. (2016). How next generation neuroscience technologies can facilitate comparison across cultural contexts and species. In: The Oxford Handbook of Cultural Neuroscience. Oxford University Press.→ Cross-cultural perspectives on information processing
Speaking & Thought Leadership
Sharing insights on AI, behavioral science, and the future of research
Lessons Learned from Two Years of Generative AI
Key insights from two years of consulting on generative AI in market research—practical applications, lessons learned, and best practices for integrating AI into research workflows.
Watch Recordingquantilope Webinar Series
Recent Presentations
Better Brand Health Tracking
Mental availability metrics for brand growth
Implicit Research & Consumer Psychology
Tapping into subconscious associations
AI in Consumer Research
The evolution of Generative AI in insights
Category Entry Points
Understanding buying situations for growth
Key Speaking Topics
Generative AI in Research
Practical lessons from real-world deployment
Implicit Research Methods
Uncovering subconscious decision drivers
Psychology of Credibility
Why people believe what they believe
Mental Availability & Brands
Evidence-based brand growth strategies
Behavioral Science Applications
From academia to commercial products
Misinformation & Trust
Building systems for truth verification
Building Infrastructure for Truth
Why This Background Matters
The next generation of truth verification won't succeed by simply having better algorithms or more data. It will succeed by understanding the human mind.
Adversarial debate methods—where multiple perspectives argue and cross-examine claims—work precisely because they mirror how humans naturally evaluate competing arguments. My social neuroscience research validates this approach.
And my experience consulting on AI applications at quantilope means I understand how to translate complex technology into solutions that actually solve customer problems.
The Unique Combination
Subject Matter Expertise
Deep academic knowledge of why misinformation spreads
AI Consulting Experience
Two years advising clients on generative AI applications
Customer Problem-Solving
Fortune 500 consulting and global team leadership
Human-Centered Approach
Solutions that work with human cognition, not against it
"Most people working in AI understand the technology. I understand why humans believe what they believe—and that's what makes the difference between a tool and a solution."
— Dr. Beatrice Capestany
Background
Duke University
PhD in Psychology & Neuroscience with focus on decision-making, dehumanization, and the psychology of credibility
Research Methods
fMRI neuroimaging, behavioral experiments, implicit association testing, and quantitative survey research
quantilope
Senior Director leading solutions consulting, AI strategy, and Fortune 500 client relationships
Let's Connect
Interested in discussing behavioral science, AI, or building systems for truth?