Beating the hell out of Fake News

In this talk, we will dive into the psychology of influence and explore ways in which fake news is currently shaping public attitudes and decision-making about fundamental societal issues. One increasingly popular view is that false information can propagate throughout a population much like a virus.

Sander van der Linden, who has recently attracted great media interest in his approach to responding to this hugely concerning phenomenon, will discuss how false memes can spread from one mind to another and explore the latest research on whether it is possible, amazingly, to develop a psychological “vaccine” against fake news.

Dr. Sander van der Linden is a University Lecturer in Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab. He has won numerous awards for his research from organisations such as the American Psychological Association (APA), the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI). He received the Frank Research Prize in 2017 for outstanding research in the public interest. Prior to Cambridge, he held positions at Princeton and Yale University. He received his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Doors 10.30. Start 11.00

Entry £3, £2 concessions. Free for Conway Hall Ethical Society members.

Brockway Room (Ground floor – accessible).

Tea, coffee & biscuits will be available.