MISBELIEF: WHAT MAKES RATIONAL PEOPLE BELIEVE IRRATIONAL THINGS

Description

Misinformation is an issue that affects us all on a daily basis. It manifests in various forms, from social media to politics, and even in our personal relationships. Although we are aware of the dangers that misinformation can cause, it is a complex problem that cannot be solved by merely policing social media. Our attempts to address the problem are often influenced by political partisanship and subjective interpretations of truth.

As advanced artificial intelligence becomes capable of generating an unprecedented amount of convincing fake news stories, Ariely believes that we can protect ourselves from falling prey to misbelief by being aware of the forces that fuel it. By becoming more resilient against its allure both as individuals and as a society, we can safeguard ourselves from the potential harm caused by fake news.

In this program, Ariely discusses the psychological factors that lead people to adopt irrational beliefs despite being rational individuals. He demonstrates how anyone, under certain circumstances, can be susceptible to false information and provides an approach to combat misbelief.