Speaking of Psychology Encore - Why we get conned and how to avoid it, with Daniel Simons, PhD, and Christopher Chabris, PhD
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Jan 1, 2025 Daniel Simons, a psychology professor and head of the Visual Cognition Laboratory, and Christopher Chabris, co-director of the Behavioral Decision Sciences Program, reveal the cognitive traps that lead us to believe lies. They discuss infamous frauds like Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme and a chess con that highlights our vulnerabilities. The duo stresses the importance of skepticism and critical thinking in protecting ourselves from scams, while also exploring how small interventions can lead to significant behavioral changes.
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Vulnerability to Deception
- We are all vulnerable to deception because scams target specific individuals and exploit their desires and thinking patterns.
- What seems too good to be true for one person might be just plausible enough for another.
Cognitive Shortcuts
- Our "truth bias" makes us assume information is true, which is usually helpful but leaves us open to scams.
- We tend to focus on readily available information, neglecting broader context which scammers exploit.
Confirmation Bias
- We tend to readily accept information that confirms our existing beliefs without questioning it.
- This makes us vulnerable to sharing misinformation and failing to double-check facts that align with our views.
