Gullibility (broadcast Friday, January 9th, 2009)

Pssst... wanna buy a bridge? photo by Flickr user Eyeliam

Can science explain why some swindles are so successful? Why are some people more likely to try to buy the Brooklyn Bridge or send money to the heir of a deposed Nigerian prince online? In this segment of Science Friday, we'll talk about gullibility and the psychological principles at work in scams, from the $15 'genuine Rolex' watch to the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme.

Guests

Stephen Greenspan
Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology
University of Connecticut
Author of "Annals of Gullibility: Why We Get Duped and How to Avoid It"
Littleton, CO

Related Links

• Stephen Greenspan's site
• WSJ: Why We Keep Falling for Financial Scams

Segment produced by:Flora Lichtman

Stories for
Friday, January 9th, 2009

• Third-Hand Smoke
• Understanding Medical Statistics
• New Milky Way Measurements
• Building Nanobristle Structures
• Gullibility
• Diabetes Research Update

Elsewhere on Sciencefriday.com

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• Mental Health
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