Was the moon landing mankind’s giant leap, or was it Hollywood's greatest special effect? Was the global vaccine rollout an elaborate scheme by Bill Gates to implant microchips in all of us? And do the condensation trails you see behind aeroplanes in the sky contain chemicals to keep the population docile?

Let's be honest, a small part of us loves a good conspiracy theory. They’re exciting. They make the world feel a little less random. But why are these ideas so sticky? What makes us want to believe the unbelievable, and is there a fine line between enjoying a wild theory and falling down a rabbit hole of misinformation?

With me to discuss the psychology of conspiracy theories is Professor Jan-Willem van Prooijen, who is Head of Social Psychology at Free University Amsterdam. The second edition of his book, The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories is out in December published by Routledge.

Links

Order The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories – https://www.routledge.com/The-Psychology-of-Conspiracy-Theories/vanProoijen/p/book/9781032868585

Find out more about Professor Jan-Willem Van Prooijen – https://www.janwillemvanprooijen.com/

Play the online fake news game – https://www.getbadnews.com

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You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

What makes a great athlete? Why do some sports professionals rise to the occasion, while others crumble under pressure? Do the lessons from sports transfer to other areas of our lives, such as business or parenting?

With me to discuss the psychology of sport, is Dr Jim Taylor.

Jim holds a PhD in Psychology, has written 18 books including The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology and Train Your Mind for Athletic Success, and he is the co-founder of Mindto, a start-up developing an app that empowers athlete performance, well-being, and mental health.

www.drjimtaylor.com

www.mindto.io

The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology (Amazon UK)

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You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology

Why do people start a podcast? I chat with host of the Growth Mindset Psychology podcast, Sam Webster Harris, about his motivations for launching a podcast and why, after 500+ episodes, he's still doing it. We chat about the psychology of motivation, self-determination, signalling theory, and whether there's a hierarchy of influencers.

Listen to the Growth Mindset Psychology website on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2rQ6Aug8EBudJMSBYTi8nM?si=5db3dfbf082943cc

Catch Sam's new podcast, How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT?si=8a7d052ef9704634

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You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingsPsychology