cover of episode Where Truth Lies

Where Truth Lies

2024/7/29
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Hidden Brain

Chapters

The 2013 Associated Press tweet about explosions at the White House exemplifies how quickly misinformation can spread and impact financial markets. This incident highlights the broader issue of misinformation, which often comes in subtle forms and exploits our psychological blind spots.
  • A false tweet about explosions at the White House caused a significant dip in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
  • Misinformation spreads rapidly and can have real-world consequences.
  • The incident highlights the importance of verifying information before reacting.

Shownotes Transcript

When we think about misinformation, we often focus on blatant errors or deliberate attempts to deceive us. But in recent years, social scientists have found that misinformation comes in many flavors — many of which are far more subtle than obvious falsehoods. These forms of misinformation prey on our mental blindspots, and take advantage of our passions and loyalties. This week, economist Alex Edmans) explores the many insidious forms of misinformation, and how we can all get better at separating fact from fiction.

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