156: Why it’s so hard to change someone’s mind (David McRaney)

April 3, 2016

You’re probably already aware that it’s hard to change someone’s mind with logical arguments and evidence, especially about emotionally charged topics. But are there exceptions?

David McRaney, bestselling author of “You Are Not So Smart” (and host of the blog and podcast by the same name) describes his experiences with people who have done an about-face on some important topic, like 9/11 conspiracy theories. He and Julia discuss a technique for changing someone’s mind with evidence, how individual mind-change mirrors scientific progress, and what happens when you confront Trump fans with facts that contradict their narrative.

Transcript (PDF)