Annals of Gullibility: Why We Get Duped and How to Avoid It

by Stephen Greenspan

Overview

The first book to provide a comprehensive look at the problem of gullibility, this groundbreaking work covers how and why we are fooled in areas that range from religion, politics, science, and medicine, to personal finance and relationships. First laying the groundwork by showing gullibility at play in the writings of historic authors we all know, developmental psychologist Stephen Greenspan follows with chapters that describe social duping across the gamut of human conduct. From people who pour bucks into investment scams, to those who follow the faith of scientologists, believe in fortunetellers, or champion unfounded medicine akin to snake oil, we all know someone who has been duped. A lot of us have been duped ourselves, out of naive trust. It's not a matter of low intelligence that moves us to, without evidence, believe the words of politicians, salesmen, academics, lawyers, military figures, or cult leaders, among others. Greenspan shows us the four broad reasons we become drawn into gullible behavior, and he presents ways people can become less gullible.

Greenspan takes us into the vast realm of gullibility from the fictional Pied Piper to the historical Trojan Horse, then through modern-day military maneuvers, political untruths, police and criminal justice scams, and financial and love lies. While there have been earlier books focused on liars and manipulators of all sorts, this is the first to focus on the gullible who are their victims, and how the gullible can become less likely to be taken again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313362163
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/30/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

STEPHEN GREENSPAN is a developmental psychologist, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado, and Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut. In 2008, he received the Dybwad Award for Humanitarianism from the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. A specialist in developmental disablities with a particular interest in social competence and incompetence, Greenspan's interest in gullibility grew out of his advocacy for the innocence of a cognitively-impaired man wrongly convicted of murder.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD
Chapter 1—INTRODUCTION
Chapter 2—GULLIBILITY IN LITERATURE AND FOLK TALES
Chapter 3—GULLIBILITY IN RELIGION
Chapter 4—GULLIBILITY IN WAR AND POLITICS
Chapter 5—GULLIBILITY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Chapter 6—GULLIBILITY IN SCIENCE AND ACADEMIA
Chapter 7—GULLIBILITY IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Chapter 8—GULLIBILITY IN FINANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS
Chapter 9—QUESTIONS ABOUT GULLIBILITY
Chapter 10-BECOMING LESS GULLIBLE
REFERENCES

What People are Saying About This

Michael Shermer Publisher

"Stephen Greenspan has penned the definitive book on why people are gullible. He reveals why so many people are so gullible, the psychology that drives gullible behaviors, and most importantly what we can do about it. Annals of Gullibility belongs on the bookshelves of skeptics and scientists, not to mention politicians and policy analysts, especially before they go to war."

Michael ShermerPublisher

"Stephen Greenspan has penned the definitive book on why people are gullible. He reveals why so many people are so gullible, the psychology that drives gullible behaviors, and most importantly what we can do about it. Annals of Gullibility belongs on the bookshelves of skeptics and scientists, not to mention politicians and policy analysts, especially before they go to war."

Editorial Reviews

Annals of Gullibility provides some interesting examples of gullibility for people looking for such anecdotes, perhaps for a lecture or colloquium. The final chapter might also be useful reading for students or others who want to increase their resistance to persuasion and would be a valuable reading assignment for classes in related topics.” —PsycCRITIQUES

From the Publisher