Why do intelligent, well-informed people so often talk past one another? Why do we cling to our beliefs, even when presented with overwhelming evidence that on the surface disproves them?

In this episode, we explore a phenomenon known as “Confirmation Bias.” This is the tendency to favor information, even blatantly false, that supports what we already believe to be true. Drawing on research from Harvard University, MIT, and Stanford University, the conversation examines why false information spreads faster than truth, why being proven wrong can literally feel painful, and why facts alone rarely change minds.

Rather than focusing on a single event, although it would be easy to do so, this episode looks at how we receive information itself, and why we might do well to question our own certainty in an increasingly polarized world.

Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe