An illuminating exploration of the psychology of false belief that lies at the root of science denialism, political polarization, and rampant belief in misinformation and disinformation.

Microchips in our vaccines, stolen elections, climate change denial—in the face of a bewildering range of misbeliefs that stem from mistrust of informational sources, exposure to misinformation and disinformation, and partisan polarization, it’s easy to dismiss those who disagree with us as “delusional”, “psychotic”, or merely “ignorant”. But what if none of these judgments are supported by how we really come to believe things, and the truth is that we are all prone to false beliefs? What can we do to protect ourselves in this post-truth world?

Drawing on decades of experience as a psychiatrist and clinical professor, Joe Pierre invites readers to journey with him through the normal quirks of brain functioning—such as “heuristics”, cognitive biases, motivated reasoning, cognitive dissonance, and bullshit receptivity—that create the cognitive vulnerabilities to false belief innate within us all. With a cross-disciplinary approach, False illuminates the psychology of false belief that lies at the root of contemporary media mistrust, science denialism, and political polarization, and highlights that contrary to popular opinion, deficits of intelligence and mental health are usually not to blame.

With a refreshingly unbiased lens, Pierre suggests an antidote to false beliefs and makes the case for softening our convictions, viewing our ideological opponents with compassion, and mending the rifts in our relationships as individuals and societies alike.

Joe Pierre, MD is a Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. As a full-time clinician, he has extensive experience treating people with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, and substance-induced psychosis. His academic work focuses on the grey area between psychopathology and normality, with an emphasis on delusion-like beliefs including conspiracy theories. He also serves as an expert witness consultant in forensic cases involving the intersection of psychosis, religion, and ideological belief. He has been featured in over 100 news articles and media interviews, appearing in The New York Times, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Slate, and the award-winning documentary Behind the Curve, and on CNN, BBC, NPR, and VICE News. His blog Psych Unseen has attracted over 3 million views.

Alaina Burns, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences UCLA-Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and Associate Director of Residency Education will join Dr. Pierre in conversation.  Dr. Burns grew up in New Rochelle, New York and received her B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from Columbia University. She completed her M.D. and M.P.H. at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn before relocating to Los Angeles for the adult psychiatry residency program at UCLA, where she served as Chief Resident during her fourth year. She is the founder and medical director of the Thought Disorders Intensive Outpatient Program, which provides day treatment for individuals with psychosis. She also serves as the Medical Director for the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program and is an inpatient psychiatrist at the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. She enjoys working with individuals with severe mental illness and in hospital settings and has a particular interest in the management of schizophrenia. Dr. Burns loves exploring Los Angeles, cycling, cooking, and spending time with her wife and son.