The Jordan Harbinger Show

728: Maria Konnikova | The Confidence Game

Sep 22, 2022

Maria Konnikova, a writer and researcher known for her focus on human behavior and deception, dives into the fascinating world of cons. She explains how anyone, even the most honest, can be fooled, revealing that overconfidence can make people more vulnerable. The discussion covers the psychology behind con artists, including their traits and the societal implications of their actions. Konnikova also shares strategies to recognize manipulation and improve our persuasive skills, equipping listeners with tools to defend against scams in the digital age.

55:17

Episode guests

Maria Konnikova

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Beware the Overconfidence Trap

01:30

Perception vs. Reality: The Illusion of Self-Image

01:10

Beware the Allure of Scams

01:50

Guilt Leads to Generosity

01:57

Intro

2min

The Psychology of Deception and Vulnerability

16min

Exploring Self-Perception and Emotional Challenges

2min

The Psychology of Deception: Understanding Con Artists

4min

The Psychology of Deception

14min

Navigating Ambiguity: The Appeal of Certainty

6min

Navigating Manipulation and Emotional Influences

11min

The Psychology of Deception and Confidence on Dates

5min

Maria Konnikova (@mkonnikova) shows us how we can defend ourselves against would-be con artists and use the same principles for more benign purposes in her book The Confidence Game. [Note: This is a previously broadcast episode from the vault that we felt deserved a fresh pass through your earholes!]

What We Discuss with Maria Konnikova:

As it turns out, you can fool an honest man. But cynics — by their own overconfidence in being savvy and “scamproof” — are just as susceptible to deception.
Technology and the abundance of information most of us freely surrender to the Internet makes the con artist’s job easier than ever before.
What type of person becomes a con artist?
How can we avoid getting scammed?
How belief works, why we over-believe in some things (even when we have no evidence for them), and how this plays into our susceptibility to deception.
And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/728

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Miss the two-parter we did with Instagram founder Kevin Systrom? Get caught up by starting at episode 335: Kevin Systrom | Life Lessons from an Instagram Founder Part One!

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