'I Want Science to Help Me Explore New Horizons'

Eliana Monahhova worked as a journalist for various media outlets, but after realizing she frequently wrote long-form pieces on the psychology of the human brain, she decided to change her career focus. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses the perception of fake content, shares her dream of meeting Robert Sapolsky, and talks about her upcoming YouTube channel.

Why I Enrolled in HSE University

I was born in Estonia, where I completed high school before enrolling in a bachelor's programme at HSE University. I wanted to study in my native language and stay closer to my culture, as my entire family is Russian speaking. I received a warm welcome at HSE University and had the opportunity to pursue my education free of charge.

I have fallen in love with Moscow and feel really comfortable here. I have always dreamed of living in a big city. Tallinn is a cool, beautiful city with rich history and stunning architecture, but for me, it feels too small and quiet. I love it when there are more events and people around, as it keeps me energised.

How I Decided to Pursue Science

Just two or three years ago, I never imagined I would become a scientist. I had planned to pursue something more practical. However, after completing my bachelor's, I ended up changing my field of activity. Initially, I my focus was on journalism, but midway through my final year, I realised that I had a strong interest in brain psychology.

This shift in interest was inspired by two scientists: American neuroscientist, Stanford Professor Robert Sapolsky and Russian psychologist, Professor Vyacheslav Dubynin of Moscow State University. I was so fascinated by their videos on how our brain works, cognitive processes, and decision-making that I decided to dive into cognitive research.

The Subject of My Research

The perception of misinformation from both behavioural and neurophysiological perspectives. My background in journalism influenced this choice of topic. We often encounter various forms of false content, such as fake news and deepfakes. As someone who strived to be an honest and objective journalist, I wanted to combat it. I wondered why people tend to trust fake content.

Scientific studies on the perception of fake content reveal that people share fake news on social networks even more willingly than true news. First, fake news often contains sensational elements, making people more inclined to share it. Second, people may trust this information because it comes from a source that they consider authoritative or that aligns with their existing beliefs.

I decided to focus on this topic not only to study how people react to fake content behaviourally—such as how they assess its trustworthiness and what factors they rely on—but also to examine it from a neurophysiological perspective, and specifically, to identify the patterns of brain electrical activity that can be observed when a person views fake content.

What My First Study Was About

We studied deepfakes related to COVID-19 vaccination. With support from our colleagues at Yandex, we created deepfakes featuring two well-known media influencers. The Committee on Ethical Conduct approved the screening of these materials to two groups of participants. Some were in favour of COVID-19 vaccination, while others were against it.

What was special about the study? The media influencers in our deepfakes were saying the opposite of their actual publicly expressed positions. The deepfake featuring a physician claimed that vaccination was harmful, while the deepfake of a well-known COVID-19 dissident argued that vaccination was necessary. It turned out that both groups of participants, regardless of their stance on vaccination, trusted the doctor's deepfake more—even though it claimed that COVID-19 vaccination was unnecessary, offering pseudoscientific arguments. These findings suggest that people may not be very critical of information which is presented by an authority figure.

The paper detailing the study’s findings is nearly complete, and one potential journal for publication is Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience published by Oxford University Press.

My Dreams

I try to break my dreams down into stages, taking them one step at a time. Today, I aim to have my work ready for pre-defence in three years and to defend my doctoral dissertation in four years. After the defence, if everything goes well, I plan to continue my research. I would like to establish an international collaboration.

For example, we recently applied for a grant with partners in India. We really hope to be supported so that we can work together on our project as a great big team.

I want science to help me explore new horizons, including traveling, meeting new people, and engaging in exciting collaborations. It's not even about income; it's about expanding horizons and gaining diverse expertise. As a novice scientist, this is very important to me.

Whether I Want to Return to Journalism

Once I feel I have gained enough expertise in cognitive psychology, I would like to return to the popular science segment. I want to write popular science articles or launch my own YouTube channel to educate people about what is happening within our brains.

If I Hadn't Become a Scientist

I would most likely be working as a journalist, writing popular science articles. Or perhaps I would try to get an internship with a neuromarketing laboratory.

Who I Would Like to Meet

Viacheslav Dubynin, because my passion for this field started with his lectures. Then there came my future supervisor, Professor Klucharev, whose Coursera course on the basics of neuroeconomics I took as I was building a portfolio for my master's programme application.

I would also like to talk to Robert Sapolsky, of course, and the behavioural economists Richard Thaler and Daniel Kahneman. They are considered the pioneers of behavioural economics integrating a cognitive component. They studied how people behave under various circumstances, including how they make decisions, both economic and otherwise. I am currently reading Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler.

My Interests besides Science

I practice sports because I believe that both mental and physical development are important to feel healthy and balanced by the age of 50.

I enjoy spending time with friends. We go for walks, play board games, and sometimes embark on quests together. I am an extrovert and enjoy meeting new people.

I love movies, theatre, and traveling. I used to draw, but unfortunately, I don't have much time for it anymore.

What I Have Been Watching

I watch videos on YouTube every day. For example, yesterday I watched a review of the film The Master and Margarita and the story of fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.

I really love Redakcia.Nauka YouTube channel, because many of their videos explain various psychological phenomena. For example, they once posted an excellent video explaining why people become dependent on alcohol and nicotine, including insights from neurophysiology and biology.

Advice for Budding Scientists

The first and most important thing is not to be afraid to take risks and admit mistakes. I struggle with this myself due to impostor syndrome; it’s always frightening to admit that you don’t know how to do something. But this is absolutely normal. Even if you hold a PhD or a Doctorate, it is impossible to know everything or be an expert in every field. On the contrary, I believe it's great when a person is self-critical and can objectively evaluate themselves.

My Favourite Locations in Moscow and Tallinn

I really enjoy strolling through Gorky Park and Victory Park. There's a Skuratov coffee shop near HSE University that serves perhaps the best coffee I have had in Moscow.

And in Tallinn, there's a beautiful promenade in the Viimsi area. Visiting there in the summer, sitting on a blanket, and watching the sunset is an exquisite experience.