In a book, two psychologists explain that scams are often based on psychological biases. They give their best advice to avoid them.
- Two American psychologists publish a book devoted to the psychological springs of the scam.
- They explain that scammers exploit our psychological flaws such as our ability to trust others.
- They give several concrete tips to avoid being tricked.
Nobody is stupid! This is the title of a book published on July 11 by American psychologists. In “Nobody’s Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It”, they explain that if some are fooled, it’s not because they lack intelligence. In reality, scammers rely on some of our behaviors to implement their strategies.
Over the years, @cfchabris and I have seen many great stories about fraud & deception. For the next few days, I’ll post a few I particularly enjoyed. We discuss some (but not all) of these in our new book, Nobody’s Fool: https://t.co/YpD9ViVr4m @basicbooks ???? (1/n)
— Daniel Simons (@profsimons) July 3, 2023
How our habits of thought can make us vulnerable to scams?
The authors are Daniel Simons, professor of psychology at the University of Illinois, and Christopher Chabris, a cognitive scientist who taught at Union College and Harvard University. Both work on memory and perception. In their book, they demonstrate how common psychological habits can get us into trouble when we become the target of deception. Scammers exploit habits of thought and decision-making that make us subconsciously susceptible to their scams.
“All of these scams rely on common human psychological tendenciesexplain the authors. For example, we have a fundamental tendency to believe that what others tell us is true.” This phenomenon has a name: truth bias. For the authors, it is normal and reassuring that we do not question the word of each person we meet. “But truth bias is also a primary factor in scamsthey add. This leaves us with a conundrum: ‘We have to trust others, but if we trust too much, we have problems.’
Various scams with sometimes disastrous consequences
In this book, all kinds of scams and manipulations are cited: from phishing, to computer-assisted cheating, passing through counterfeits or deceptive commercial practices. These frauds present various risks such as the lack of access to reliable information, fair elections or the loss of money.
How to avoid getting scammed?
However, there are tips to avoid scams. The first is to ask more questions about the information presented to us, even if it comes from close friends. The authors recommend more fact-checking, especially when making an important decision. They also advise to be suspicious when someone tells us something that corresponds perfectly to what we believe and what we hope to hear. At the same time, when we are presented with something, especially in a commercial setting or when it comes to information, we must pay attention to what is not said. They also believe that simple explanations, perfect results to support a particular conclusion should be seen as red flags for anyone hoping to spot the deception.