Can we really change people's minds?

In this episode, we’re asking a simple but powerful question: why do we believe what we believe? To help us dissect how beliefs form and why they can be so hard to shift, we’re joined by Olaf Borghi, a researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London, who studies the psychology behind beliefs and political attitudes.

Together, we explore how our minds respond to new information, the role of bias and identity in shaping our views, and why staying curious - rather than combative - can change the way we approach disagreement.

If you’d like to see all of the tips and actions Olaf shared in this episode, head to our website: https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/bridging-divides/podcast/episode-2

Glossary of terms from the episode

Confirmation bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and favour information that confirms one’s pre-existing beliefs. It might involve ignoring evidence that doesn’t fit, interpreting ambiguous information as confirmation of our belief, or finding it much easier to remember information that supports what we think.

Conspiracy theory

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines this as "the belief that an event or situation is the result of a secret plan made by powerful people."

Bridging Divides is a podcast from the British Red Cross, hosted by Sonali Shah, exploring why we feel so divided and what we can actually do about it. Across the series, Sonali speaks to leading thinkers and practitioners to unpack what’s shaping division in our society, from national debates to the conversations happening in our own homes.

For more info visit www.bridgingdivides.org.uk

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Find Olaf Borghi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olaf-borghi-864276280/

Bluesky: @olafborghi.com

Instagram: @olafborghi

Bridging Divides is produced by Bird Lime Media.