Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

Listen to two separate 9-part Harvesting Happiness podcast productions that explore the emerging science of cognitive immunology. Both unique series examine how and why disinformation, conspiracy theories, and media propaganda are used to undermine critical thinking and common sense. This impacts how we think and behave as well as our collective well-being.

This episode is #3 of 9 on our flagship podcast. Find nine More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus sessions available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

The primary goal of most media sources is to make money by pushing an agenda. They may create false stories designed to increase advertising revenue, influence opinion, or in the case of the 2016 election cycle, upend the democratic institutions of the United States. To discover how to build resiliency against misinformation, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with cognitive scientist and CIRCE researcher Professor Stephan Lewandowsky. Stephan shares his research on how alternative facts gain acceptance, how technology can undermine the democratic process, and tips on how to discern fact from fiction when consuming media.

Stephan Lewandowsky PhD — The Architecture of Honesty:

• An example of how technology influences democracy. {2:56}
• How technology and social media can undermine the democratic process. {6:06}
• The architecture of honesty and how alternative facts gain currency. {7:41}
• Democracy crumbles when beliefs take precedence over evidence. {13:13}
• Tips for building resilience against being misinformed. {18:03}

About Lisa’s guest:

Professor Stephan Lewandowsky is a cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol whose main interest is in the pressure points between the architecture of online information technologies and human cognition, and the consequences for democracy that arise from those pressure points. A recipient of numerous awards and honors, his research examines the consequences of the clash between social media architectures and human cognition. Professor Lewandosdky has published hundreds of scholarly articles, chapters, and books. His research regularly appears in journals such as Nature Human Behaviour, Nature Communications, and Psychological Review.

“What we think and what we feel are often disconnected from fact."  - Lisa Cypers Kamen

This episode is #3 of 9 on our flagship podcast. Find nine More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus sessions available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

For more inspiration visit www.harvestinghappiness.com!