Episode # 97

What You Need to Know About Conspiracy Theories with Professor Karen Douglas

In case you didn’t see the news, our US Capitol was overrun by a mob of insurgents at the beginning of 2021, largely spurred on by a conspiracy theory led by the American president that the 2020 US Election was rigged.

We figured now was a good time to talk about conspiracy theories - with an expert. Today, we bring you an enlightening conversation with Professor Karen Douglas, a social psychologist specializing in the study of conspiracy theories.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com.

“People are attracted to conspiracy theories when they have particular psychological needs that are not being met by typical standards or by official explanations that are coming their way.” Professor Karen Douglas

What to listen for:

What are conspiracy theories? How are they different from critical thinking?
Who are the people who are most vulnerable to believing conspiracy theories - and do they even know that they’re being influenced?
What’s the danger in conspiracy theories?
How do we check ourselves and others to make sure we don’t spread misinformation?

About Professor Douglas:

Karen Douglas is a Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Kent, United Kingdom. She studies the antecedents and consequences of belief in conspiracy theories. She serves on the Executive Committee of the European Association of Social Psychology and is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science.

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