#31: Combating False Information

Thinking Critically

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Stephan Lewandowsky about combating false information. They discuss: •How he first became interested in science and why he chose cognitive science. •Why some people believe things that they know are false and the concept of identity protective cognition. •Political polarization and how political leadership has a profound influence over their constituents. •How we live in an attention economy when it comes to information and this leads to the unfortunate consequence of favoring low credibility to patently false information. •How regulation for the social media industry to combat this problem should seriously be considered as they have a very large influence over the information diet of the majority of the Western world. •The distinction between skepticism and denial and how denialists often co-opt the term “skeptic” in order to justify their position and/or to appear more credible. •How the technique of inoculation can be used to combat the spread of false information. •And other topics. Dr. Stephan Lewandowsky is a psychologist who has worked in both the United States and Australia, and is currently based at the University of Bristol, UK, where he is the chair of cognitive psychology at the School of Psychological Science. His research, which originally pertained to computer simulations of people's decision-making processes, recently has focused on the public's understanding of science and why people often embrace beliefs that are sharply at odds with scientific evidence. In particular, much of his efforts are focused on the public's perception of the scientific consensus surrounding global warming. You can connect with Stephan here: Personal Blog: https://www.cogsciwa.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/STWorg You can find all of his handbooks here: https://bit.ly/3qdWfrI You can find this episode on our YouTube channel as well: https://bit.ly/2LOiGF0 This show is supported and produced by Final Stretch Media. Final Stretch believes in creating something that disrupts attention spans and challenges the marketing status quo. They do this by creating high quality visual content that captivates your audience. You can find them on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fsmedia2020 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finalstretch_media/ This show is also supported by QuikLee; the creators of Brain Racers. The world's first ever live racing competition for the brain. Download their app and play live on the weekends on an iOS device against the world. We have raced and it's a blast! App Download: https://apple.co/33n8aJs Our last sponsor creates survival technology as well as camping and other outdoor gear. Outer Wild's ultimate goal is to provide clean technologies for everyday devices as they are driven to create a more sustainable world. Use the code IS on your next purchase and receive an additional 10% off! Website: https://www.outer-wild.com/