We evolved to believe what we are told, however, we did not evolve in an environment with mass media. This is what makes the spread of misinformation so insidious and effective. In this week’s episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about why we believe lies.
fake news
Gaslighting
We might feel like we’ve been duped when we believe a lie someone has told us, and we may want to crawl into a hole when we share “fake news” on Facebook. But in actuality, we have evolved to trust vs. to question, which is why our tendency toward credulity is easily taken advantage of.
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of what is known as “gaslighting” and how to put checks in place so you are less susceptible to being taken for a ride.
Texas Standard: August 23, 2018
Treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors: how does hush money fit in to the formula for impeachment? We’ll take a look. Also, fears of an upswing of violence on the border. We’ll hear what’s happening and why. And since 2016, law enforcement officials and social media companies have taken steps to curtail fake news and foreign hackers. With the midterms fast approaching, how well is the fight faring? Our Digital Savant Omar Gallaga takes a look. Also, the deer industry up in arms over state efforts to limit where the animals roam. Plus our weekly trip tip takes us to South Padre Island and we’re just getting started. Turn it up! It’s Texas Standard Time!
Texas Standard: April 30, 2018
Reversed: Texas’ Voter ID law once found to discriminate on the basis of race now gets the green light. So what forms of ID will you need to bring with you to the polling place? That won’t change. We’ll hear how the court came down and why. Also, remember gas prices closing in on 4 dollars a gallon? Would you be wiling to pay double that? A prediction that could make em smile in the Permian Basin, but put the big squeeze on SUV drivers. And those commercial DNA genealogy tests: could they be used against you in a court of law? A high profile case raising red flags. All those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
What Everybody Thinks
Many of us live in bubbles of like-minded folks. Our friends think the way we do, whether it’s about politics, social issues or the best place to live. And we like it that way. And everyone else? They’re just wrong. That’s the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Texas Standard: September 15, 2017
The risk to lives now reduced if not completely eliminated as we enter the next phase post Harvey. Did pre-storm preparations pay off? We’ll explore. Also after 81 years: a crane removed a giant monument to confederate general Robert E Lee from a Dallas park. And today: word that no less senior an official than governor Abbott himself will meet to discuss the fate of other confederate memorials, namely those on the capitol grounds. A turning point? We’ll have the latest. Those stories and lots more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 27, 2017
A deadly discovery in South Texas with echoes of the past: why is Texas at the epicenter of the human smuggling crisis? We’ll have the story. Also the terms are used almost interchangeably: human trafficking and human smuggling. We’ll look at what the difference is, and why it matters in the wake of 10 deaths in the back of a tractor trailer. Plus a sad sign of of an oil rebound? Experts point to a boom in methamphetamine use in the oil fields of west Texas. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 16, 2017
A tweak to a plan to ban sanctuary cities statewide: one that could make a big difference at the side of the road, we’ll explore. Also jammed 911 lines blamed for two deaths in Dallas: is a cellphone glitch gumming up the whole emergency system? And a regulation aimed at preventing another west, suddenly headed south. What this means for efforts to safeguard chemical plants and the people who live near them. Also a crime problem so bad the city’s police chief says you can’t arrest your way out of this one. We’ll hear the backstory. And the latest effort to curb fake news: is that a robot editing your Facebook feed? All of that and lots more today on the Texas Standard:
Higher Ed: “Fake News” and Formal Education
A bill has been introduced in the California state legislature in 2017 that would add elements to school curricula to teach students to “judge the credibility and quality of information found on Internet Web sites, including social media.” We think we know fake news when we see it, right? Well, maybe not always. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger answer a listener’s question about the role of formal education in teaching about “fake news.” A listener is curious whether or not it is the job of schools to teach students how to better discern what they read online; and if it is, how schools and teachers could go about doing that. Ed and Jennifer discuss what “fake news” is; why it’s out there; and how students of any age can develop some sense and savvy about what they read online. Listen on for their discussion and to get the solution to last episode’s puzzler about apples and algebra.
This episode was recorded on Feb. 16, 2017.
Fake News
Whether or not you’re shocked by the plethora of fake news, you might be surprised to learn that such information–fake or not–does have unexpected effects on the way you see the world.
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the psychology of fake news.
Fake News
Did you hear the latest? Did you see that Tweet? They’re talking about it on cable news. We’re all getting a free car tomorrow!
Oh wait, maybe not.