APS

APS Virtual Poster Showcase

Alternative Facts and Fictional Realities

Friday, May 22, 2020 · Virtual

Oral · Social

In an era of irrational beliefs and alternative facts, people create their own fictional realities based on intuition, political and cultural preferences, and unreliable Internet sites. This symposium addresses the psychology of alternative facts and fictional reality by examining the roles of intuition, conspiracy theories, impossible knowledge claims, and misinformation.

Chairs & Discussants

  • Jan-Willem van ProoijenChair
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Gabriele OettingenCoChair
    University of Hamburg

Presentations

  1. Believing What We Know Isn’t so: Acquiescence to Superstitious Beliefs and Other Powerful IntuitionsJane Risen
  2. Conspiracy Theories and Culture: A China-US ComparisonJan-Willem van Prooijen
  3. Paradoxical Knowing Underlies Fanatical ThinkingGabriele Oettingen
  4. Why People Share Misinformation on Social MediaDavid Rand