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

The reliability of the information we ingest is paramount in today’s world of misinformation. Because once we decide that we believe something our minds become much less malleable when it comes to adopting a new belief. To learn how information literacy and power-thinking can be taught, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, and Education Director for the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE, Melanie Trecek-King. Melanie shares classroom examples of the scenarios she poses to her students and the common thinking errors most humans make.

Mind viruses spread in the same manner as viruses in the body. Something is passed from one person to another. The person's belief system or mental immune system processes the content of the information and either overcomes it and discards it or the virus takes over and causes an illness. To discover tips for mental vaccinations and truth recipes, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with an associate professor of English at the University of Central Florida and the author of Deadly Delusions: Right-Wing Death Cult and The Cognitive Immune System: The Mind’s Ability to Dispel Pathological Beliefs, Dr. Barry Mauer. Barry shares ways we can fortify our thinking to be more productive and healthy.

Barry Mauer PhD — The Recipe for Truth:

• How bad ideas are spread. {2:58}
• Mistrust can be engineered. {9:15}
• The importance of belief evaluation. {17:09}
• Current society encourages people to let go of constraints. {27:03}

About Lisa’s guest:

Barry Mauer, PhD, is on the cutting edge of research into cognitive immunity and the threats posed to it by the intersection of illiberal forces and electronic media. Barry is an associate professor of English at the University of Central Florida and is the author of Deadly Delusions: Right-Wing Death Cult and The Cognitive Immune System: The Mind’s Ability to Dispel Pathological Beliefs. Barry collaborated on the DARPA-funded project, “Deep Agent: A Framework for Information Spread and Evolution in Social Networks.” Barry teaches symposiums on cognitive immunity including “The Age of Mass Delusion,” “Why Are People Fooled?” and “Propaganda and Pseudoscience.”

This episode is #7 of 9 on our flagship podcast. Find nine More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus sessions available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

“Being attracted or connected to conspiracy groups does give people a sense of belonging and connection." - Lisa Cypers Kamen 

For more inspiration visit www.harvestinghappiness.com!