Gullibility, whether we like it or not, is a fundamental characteristic of human beings. In The Social Psychology of Gullibility, Forgas and Baumeister explore what we know about the causes, functions, and consequences of gullibility, and the social psychological processes that promote or inhibit it. With contributions from leading international researchers, the book reveals what social and cognitive psychology contribute to our understanding of how human judgments and decisions can be distorted and undermined. The chapters discuss the nature and functions of gullibility, the role of cognitive processes in gullibility, the influence of emotion and motivation on gullibility, and social and cultural aspects of gullibility. Underpinned by a wealth of empirical research, contributors explore captivating issues such as the psychology of conspiracy theories, the role of political gullibility, gullibility in science, the role of the internet in fostering gullibility, and the failures of reasoning that contribute to human credulity. Gullibility has become a dominant topic of interest in public discourse. The Social Psychology of Gullibility is essential reading for researchers, social science students, professionals and practitioners and all those interested in understanding human credulity and the role of gullibility in contemporary public affairs.

This book explores what social psychology can contribute to our understanding of real-life problems and how it can inform rational interventions in any area of social life. By reviewing some of the most recent achievements in applying social psychology to pressing contemporary problems, Forgas, Crano, and Fiedler convey a fundamentally optimistic message about social psychology’s achievements and prospects. The book is organized into four sections. Part I focuses on the basic issues and methods of applying social psychology to real-life problems, discussing evolutionary influences on human sociability, the role of psychological ‘mindsets’ in interpreting reality, and the use of attitude change techniques to promote adaptive behaviors. Part II explores the applications of social psychology to improve individual health and well-being, including managing aggression, eating disorders, and improving therapeutic interactions. Part III turns to the application of social psychology to improve interpersonal relations and communication, including attachment processes in social relationships, the role of parent-child interaction in preventing adolescent suicide, and analyzing social relations in legal settings and online social networks. Finally, Part IV addresses the question of how social psychology may improve our understanding of public affairs and political behavior. The book will be of interest to students and academics in social psychology, and professionals working in applied settings.

The recent rise of populist politics represent a major challenge for liberal democracies. This important book explores the psychological reasons for the rise of populism, featuring contributions from leading international researchers in the fields of psychology and political science. Unlike liberal democracy based on the Enlightenment values of individual freedom, autonomy and rationality, both right-wing and left-wing populism offer collectivist, autocratic formulations reminiscent of the evolutionary history and tribal instincts of our species. The book offers a comprehensive overview of the psychology of populism, covering such phenomena as identity seeking, anger and fear, collective narcissism, grievance, norms, perceptions of powerlessness and deprivation, authoritarianism, nationalism, radicalism, propaganda and persuasion, ethnocentrism, xenophobia and the effects of globalization. The book is divided into four parts. Part I deals with the motivational and emotional factors that attract voters to populist causes, and the human needs and values that populist movements satisfy. Part II analyzes the cognitive features of populist appeals, especially their emphasis on simplicity, epistemic certainty and moral absolutism. Part III turns to one of the defining features of populism: its offer of a powerful tribal identity and collectivist ideology that provide meaning and personal significance to its followers. Finally, in Part IV, the propaganda tactics used by populist movements are analysed, including the role of charismatic leadership, authoritarianism, and nationalism and the use of conspiracy narratives and persuasive strategies. This is fascinating reading on a highly topical issue. The book will be of interest to students, researchers, and applied professionals in all areas of psychology and the social sciences as a textbook or reference book, and to anyone interested in the global rise of populism.

"Scientific discoveries often build on - and are inspired by - previous discoveries. If the scientific enterprise were a tower of blocks, each piece representing a scientific finding, scientific progress might entail making the tower bigger and better block by block, discovery by discovery. Rather than strong wooden blocks, imagine the blocks, or scientific findings, can take on shape based on scientific accuracy. The most accurate pieces are the strongest and sturdiest, while the least accurate are soft and pliable. Building a tower of the scientific enterprise with a large number of inaccurate blocks will cause the tower to start to wobble, lean over, and potentially collapse, as more and more blocks are placed upon weak and faulty pieces"--

Insecurity is an inevitable part of being human. Although life is insecure for every organism, humans alone are burdened by knowing that this is so. This ground-breaking volume features contributions by leading international researchers exploring the social psychology of insecurity and how existential, metaphysical, and social uncertainty influence human social behaviour. Chapters in the book investigate the psychological origins of insecurity, evolutionary theorizing about the functions of insecurity, the motivational strategies people adopt to manage insecurity, self-regulation strategies, the role of insecurity in the formation and maintenance of social relationships, and the influence of insecurity and uncertainty on the organization of larger social systems and public affairs. The chapters also discuss how insecurity influences many areas of contemporary social life, highlighting the applied implications of this line of research. Topics covered include the role of insecurity in social communication, social judgments, decision-making, group identification, morality, interpersonal behaviour, relationships, attitudes, and many applied aspects of social life and politics where understanding the psychology of insecurity is of critical importance. This accessible and engaging book will be of interest to students, researchers, and practitioners as a textbook or reference book in behavioural and social science fields, as well as to a broad spectrum of intelligent lay audiences seeking to understand one of the most intriguing issues that shapes human social life.

The coronavirus pandemic struck unexpectedly, posing unprecedented challenges around the world. At the same time, this crisis also offers a unique opportunity for reflection, research, and insight regarding this and similar global and domestic crises. There is much to be learned from analysing the effects of the crisis. It provides a chance for a fresh scholarly examination of important aspects of legal regulation, policymaking, and more. This volume pursues these questions from a broad range of Law and Economics perspectives and is divided into two parts. The first part examines the immediate impact of and responses to the coronavirus crisis, while the second explores the future possibilities that scholarly analysis of this crisis can offer. As to the immediate impact and responses, questions of compliance with regulations and safety measures, nudging and decision-making with regard to the coronavirus crisis are examined from the perspective of behavioural economics. In addition, the short- and long-term effects of various emergency policy responses on contract law are studied. Current issues and challenges like the regulation of internet platforms, excessive pricing, the right to adequate food, risk and loss allocation, as well as remote learning and examinations, which have been impacted, brought about, complicated or aggravated by the coronavirus crisis, are analysed in depth. Lastly, future possibilities in the areas of data access rights, economic instability and the balance between political-economic interests and social interests, patenting, food labels and open data are illustrated.

This book examines the traditional assumptions made by academics and professionals alike that have embedded sociopolitical biases that impede practice. and undermine efforts to achieve an objective scientific status. If allowed to go unchallenged, the credibility of psychology as a discipline is compromised. This contributed volume thoroughly and comprehensively examines this concern in a conceptually and empirically rigorous manner and offers constructive solutions for minimizing undue political influences within the field of psychology. Societies in the 21st century desperately need reliable psychological science, but we don’t have it. This important volume explains one of the main reasons why we are making little progress on any issue that gets contaminated by the left-right culture war: because the field of psychology is an enthusiastic member of one of the two teams, so it rejects findings and researchers who question its ideological commitments. The authors of this engaging volume also show us the way out. They diagnose the social dynamics of bias and point to reforms that would give us the psychology that we need to address 21st century problems. Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership, NYU—Stern School of Business and author of The Righteous Mind The boundaries of free speech, censorship, moral cultures, social justice, and ideological biases are among the many incendiary topics discussed in this book. If you are looking for a deep-dive into real-world contemporary controversies, Ideological and Political Bias in Psychology fits the bill. The chapters are thoughtful and thought-provoking. Most readers will find something to agree with and something to rage at in almost every chapter. It just may change how you think about some of these topics. Diane F. Halpern, Professor of Psychology Emerita, Claremont McKenna College and Past President, American Psychological Association Unless the political left is always correct about everything (in which case, we wouldn’t need to do research; we could just ask a leftist), the growing political monoculture of social science is a major barrier to our search for the truth. This volume shows how ideological bias should be treated as a source of research error, up there with classic methodological flaws like non-random assignment and non-blind measurement. Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of Rationality An important read for academics curious about how their politics fashions beliefs that too often are uncritically taken for granted, and for non-academics wondering why we can't shake off the politics that so influences scientific work. Vernon Smith, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences and George L. Argyros Chair in Finance and Economics, Chapman University Advances and deepens empirically rigorous scholarship into biased political influences affecting academic and professional psychology. Offers constructive solutions for minimizing undue political influences within psychology and moving the field forward. Serves as a resource for psychological academicians, researchers, practitioners, and consultants seeking to restore the principles of accurate science and effective practice to their respective areas of research.