We Don't Need No Thought Control: Disinformation and Cult Mentality

Unbiased Science with Drs. Andrea Love and Jessica Steier

On this episode of the podcast, the doctors are joined by a special guest, Dr. Jay Van Bavel, who is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University, to discuss the anti-vaccine movement, cult-mentality, and the predilection for conspiratorial thinking.

The group summarizes some factors that contribute to susceptibility to cult mentality and the rapid increase in these mentalities during the pandemic. They discuss some underlying reasons that lead to the distrust of experts and the concept of "the death of expertise," and talk about the newly coined term, "mass formation psychosis" and what it means (and doesn't mean). They also discuss physicians and scientists who seemingly "switch teams" and promote anti-science theories and conspiracies. Finally, the trio spends some time talking about "trolls," how to deal with them, and whether it is possible to break through to them. You don't want to miss this!

LISTEN TO THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DISINFORMATION

(This episode originally aired in January 2022)