“Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.” This statement by U.S. Vice-President Cheney in 2003 turned out to have no basis in fact. Nonetheless, surveys have revealed time and again that more than 25% of Americans continued to believe in the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction for many years after the invasion. How do such myths arise? Why do they linger? I will examine the psychological processes that give rise to the formation of myths and that make them so resilient to forgetting and updating. The talk will also examine the psychology of skepticism and the role it plays in processing information presented in the media.

Other events in the Bristol Politics Cafe series

The Bristol Politics Cafe seeks to encourage debate and discussion in the run up to the May 2015 election.

In collaboration with PolicyBristol, the Bristol Politics Cafe has selected a range of experts from the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England to share their expertise and answer your questions on topics from media bias, to EU governance, to austerity. 

Join us 8pm-10pm on Wednesday evenings at The Station, Silver Street, Bristol BS1 2AG.