Misbelief
What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bonnier Books Ltd
Published:19th Sep '23
Should be back in stock very soon
In Misbelief, Dan Ariely investigates the psychological drivers behind misinformation, revealing how misbelief shapes our understanding of truth and trust.
In Misbelief, social scientist Dan Ariely delves into the pervasive issue of misinformation and the psychological phenomena that lead individuals to adopt irrational beliefs. He examines how 'misbelief' manifests in various aspects of life, from social media to politics, and even personal relationships. The book highlights the complexities of navigating a world where partisan politics and subjective interpretations of truth cloud our understanding of reality. Ariely emphasizes that simply policing social media is insufficient to address these deeper issues.
Ariely's exploration is rooted in both research and his personal experiences with disinformation. He identifies the emotional, cognitive, and social factors that contribute to the allure of conspiracy theories and the erosion of trust in accepted truths. By unpacking the drivers behind misbelief, he offers insights into how we can better understand and mitigate its effects on society. The book serves as a reminder that misinformation is not merely a political issue but a human one, affecting individuals across all demographics.
Despite the challenges posed by advanced AI technologies that generate convincing fake news, Misbelief provides a hopeful perspective. Ariely argues that fostering awareness and empathy is essential in combating misbelief. By recognizing it as a collective human problem, we can work towards solutions that promote resilience in the face of misinformation. This book is a compelling call to action for readers to engage thoughtfully with the information they consume and share.
'In this thoughtful, moving and well-written book, Dan Ariely narrates his personal and professional journey to understand the world of misbelievers and conspiracy theories, and offers insights and tips that will hopefully help all of us protect our fragile social fabric from being torn apart by disinformation and distrust.' -- Yuval Noah Harari, Bestselling author of Sapiens
'Misbelief is an urgent examination of the human attraction to misinformation. This timely book can provide a crucial foundation for building a more empathetic and informed society.' -- Daniel H. Pink, NYT-bestselling author of The Power of Regret
'Once again Dan Ariely writes in a way that gets us to think and reflect about our human nature. In Misbelief, Ariely helps us understand the nature of our opinions, how they're formed, and how the forces of misinformation can distort them. This is an important book for those who want to understand themselves and the increasingly complex world around us.' -- Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
'For most of us it is tempting to think that people misbelieve things because they are uneducated, unintelligent, or misinformed. But as one of the world's leading scientists studying beliefs, Dan Ariely, convincingly demonstrates in this important book (and as he discovered first hand in being wrongly accused of leading a nefarious conspiracy!), Misbelief is a process to which any of us can fall prey. More importantly, he offers science-based suggestions on what we can do about the polarization and breakdown in trust that comes with Misbelief.' -- Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Conspiracy
'A fascinating tour of the (frighteningly) many ways in which our minds can lead us to misbelieve.' -- Michael Norton, co-author, Happy Money
ISBN: 9781785120763
Dimensions: 242mm x 164mm x 31mm
Weight: 522g
352 pages