Published Jul 22, 2019

Facts Aren't Enough

Shankar Vedantam examines the complex relationship between facts, emotions, and social trust in shaping beliefs, highlighting historical and modern battles against scientific misinformation with insights from experts Tali Sharot and Cailin O'Connor. Through compelling stories and analysis, the episode delves into how fear, bias, and social dynamics can distort or facilitate the acceptance of new ideas.

Episode Highlights

Topics covered

Episode Highlights

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Dexa/Shankar Vedantam

Facts Aren't Enough

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Beliefs and Networks

Misinformation and Belief

Misinformation Dynamics

Changing Vaccine Beliefs

Science and Bias

Trusting the Data

Social Trust and Propaganda

The Power of Fear

Scientific Misunderstandings

Cultural Insights on Vaccination

The Spread of Belief

The Power of Emotion

Truth in Science

Power of Fear

Conformity and Trust

Episode Highlights

Historical Cases

Emotional Influence

Belief Misinformation

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Topics covered

Popular Clips

Episode Highlights

Historical CasesThe episode explores the cultural and historical resistance to scientific innovations, using examples like Mary Montagu's advocacy for variolation and Barry Marshall's ulcer research. These stories illustrate how biases and social trust influence the acceptance of new ideas.

Historical Cases

Emotional InfluenceTali Sharot and Cailin O'Connor explore the powerful role of fear and emotion in shaping beliefs, often overshadowing facts. They discuss how these elements can both hinder and facilitate persuasion, impacting decision-making processes.

Emotional Influence

Belief Misinformation

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