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A Theory About Conspiracy Theories
More than 1 in 3 Americans believe that the Chinese government engineered the coronavirus as a weapon, and another third are convinced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has exaggerated the threat of Covid-19 to undermine President Trump. The numbers, from a survey released on Sept. 21 by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, may or may not taper off as communities begin to contain the virus. But they underscore a moment when a particular brand of conspiracy theory is emerging in the mainstream: A belief that the “official story” is in fact a Big Lie, being told by powerful, shadowy interests.
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Why Nobody Feels Rich: The Psychology Of Inequality
When Keith Payne was in the fourth grade, he realized he was poor. The epiphany came to him in the cafeteria. "We had a new cashier in the line that day," he said. "And when I got to the cashier's desk she asked me for, I think it was $1.25. That was the first time that anybody had ever asked me to pay for my lunch because I'd always been on free lunch." Keith had been blissfully unaware that many of his classmates were paying for their meals every day. But now, he began comparing himself with his peers. "It's not like I was poorer the day after that than I was before. Nothing objective had changed.
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New Research in Psychological Science
A sample of research on factors that predict faster spread of COVID-19, how optimism might decrease unethical behaviors during the pandemic, development of language perception, color-emotion associations, moral choice, decision making, and well-being and person-culture match.
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Beyond Diversity Training: To Change Minds, Change the Environment
Research suggests that taking steps to create more equal social environments may be more effective at reducing prejudice than targeting implicit bias directly.
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COVID-19 and Its Connection to Human Behavior
Panelists discuss the remarkable resilience of many people in the face of COVID-19 and the challenges that lie ahead if we let our guard down.
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Violent Video Games and Aggression: The Connection is Dubious, at Best
If you are worried about violent video games triggering aggressive behavior in children, new research may help to alleviate your concerns.
