Not Born Yesterday: Why humans are less gullible than we think (Closing Keynote)

Hugo Mercier (Institut Jean Nicod)

Closing Keynote: AAPAE Symposium 2026

It is often thought that humans are gullible, easily manipulated by demagogues, advertisers, and politicians. I will argue that the opposite is true: humans are equipped with a set of psychological mechanisms that allow them to properly evaluate communicated information, and to reject information that is false or harmful. I will rely on experimental psychology data, as well as studies showing the failures of mass persuasion, from Nazi propaganda to American presidential campaigns. I will also suggest that, when people do accept false beliefs, they often do so only in a superficial manner. 

 (Note: this event will be hosted on Australian Eastern Daylight Time, which is UTC+11).

Hugo Mercieris a cognitive scientist working at the Jean Nicod Institute in Paris. He studies human reasoning and communication, as well as cultural evolution. He is the co-author, with Dan Sperber, of The Enigma of Reason, and the author of Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who we Trust and What we Believe.