How to Dissent: A Political Skill Needed Now More than Ever

How does social identity make people conform, follow leaders, accept disinformation, and defend beliefs they once questioned? In this episode of Cults, Culture, and Coercion, Dr. Steven Hassan interviews social psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Jay Van Bavel about cult psychology, groupthink, conformity, brainwashing, social media polarization, identity, and psychological warfare.

Dr. Jay Van Bavel is a professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Center for Conflict and Cooperation at New York University. His book, The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony, explores how the intrinsic need to belong results in adhering to group ideology and how groups can create either healthy cooperation or destructive conformity.

In this conversation, Dr. Hassan and Dr. Van Bavel examine:

- Why some people still agree with leaders even when they believe the leader is wrong

- How social identity influences beliefs, behavior, conformity, and group loyalty

- Why cutting people off from outside sources of information can make cults & groups nearly impossible to leave

- How social media algorithms amplify moral outrage, polarization, and negative information about opposing groups

- Why moralized and emotionally charged language spreads so effectively online

- How Donald Trump used social media, viral influencers, and conspiracy theories to radicalize the right

- How Russian troll farms and other foreign influence operations have used polarizing rhetoric to deepen divisions

- How partisan media causes people to develop beliefs that conflict with reality

- Why disagreement is a key symbol of healthy groups and enables better decision-making

- Why the people who dissent may actually be among the people who care most about their group

- How leaders can prevent groupthink by encouraging dissent and allowing others to speak before they do

- Why powerful leaders who demand praise and agreement can make organizations less effective

- Why anonymous opinions can help people resist conformity and make better group decisions

- How anxiety about social exclusion can affect our ability to think independently

- Why humans are evolutionarily wired to be concerned about social acceptance and belonging

- How “trust pods” and designated dissenters can help people navigate misinformation and disinformation

The conversation also explores political polarization, authoritarianism, propaganda, psychological warfare, QAnon, foreign influence operations, conspiracy theories, cancel culture, free speech, and the importance of maintaining norms that support dissent, cooperation, human rights, and democratic decision-making.

If you want to understand how social identity, conformity, groupthink, disinformation, social media algorithms, polarization, and psychological warfare can influence what people believe, how groups behave, and lead to the creation of political tribes and ultimately, cults, this conversation dissects the psychology behind manipulation and how dissent can help protect our independence.

📚 Check out The Power of UsHarnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation

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Chapters:

#JayVanBavel #StevenHassan #CultsCultureAndCoercion #CultPsychology #SocialPsychology #Groupthink #Conformity #Brainwashing #MindControl #SocialIdentity #Polarization #PsychologicalWarfare #Misinformation #Disinformation #DonaldTrump #QAnon #CultDynamics

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