The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

Thursday, 20th April

Did you know that China manufactured COVID-19 to wage war on the USA, or that climate change is all just a hoax so scientists can make money? In this talk, Dr Daniel Jolley will showcase why people find conspiracy theories so appealing and debunk some of the misconceptions (e.g., are all conspiracy believer’s paranoid?). We will also consider how the consequences of conspiracy beliefs may impact you and me.

Dr Daniel Jolley is an Assistant Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Nottingham. His research explores the psychology of conspiracy theories, where he is interested in understanding why millions of people find conspiracy theories so appealing. 

Daniel is also keen to explore the social consequences of believing in conspiracy theories and develop tools to address their negative impact. He has a passion for science communication and regularly appears on TV (e.g., BBC One Show, BBC News, Sky News), radio (e.g., BBC Radio Scotland, TalkRADIO, BBC Five Live), and in print (e.g., New York Times, The Guardian, Financial Times). He has also given many public talks on his research (e.g., New Scientist Live, Cheltenham Science Festival, Standon Calling).

You can learn more about Daniel and his work on his website or on Twitter @DrDanielJolley.

UPDATE: Thank you to those who attended this lecture by Dr Daniel Jolley on The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories. Please find a link to the recording of the lecture here.