Sara Gorman
When was the last time you really changed your mind?
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About Sara Gorman
Public health and behavioral science expert Sara Gorman has written extensively about global health, science communication, psychology and mental health, among other topics. Sara’s first book, Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore the Facts That Will Save Us, explores the psychology behind irrational health beliefs and decisions. The book also provides advice for how the general public can discriminate between valid and invalid science, and considers how public health professionals and doctors can communicate with patients who have a fundamental mistrust of science and medical research. Sara’s work has appeared or been reviewed in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, BBC and NPR. Sara is also co-founder of Critica, a community committed to making rational decisions about health and security.
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About This Talk
According to behavioral science and public health expert Sara Gorman, changing your mind about a deeply held belief isn't just difficult to do from a personal, stick-to-your-guns standpoint, but also from a psychological perspective. As Sara puts it, “science depends on updating constantly with new information, but our brains do everything they can to keep us from changing our minds.” We see the stubborn refusal of facts play out across the world of health and medicine. For example, why do so many people believe vaccines are harmful, even when there is scientific evidence showing that they are not only safe, but beneficial to our health? Tune in to Sara’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to learn more about why we cling to our beliefs and why facts may not be your ultimate persuasion tool to get someone to change their mind.