Cognitive Hygiene 101 Protecting Your Mind From Conspiracy Theories with Dr. Andy Norman

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LISA CYPERS KAMEN

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Cognitive Hygiene 101: Protecting Your Mind From Conspiracy Theories

Individual beliefs empower us. They embolden us with confidence and assuredness about issues we deem important. But what if some of our beliefs aren’t really ours? What if we are merely hosts to mind viruses that enter quietly and opportunistically, exploiting our trust and open-mindedness? No one is immune to misinformation. We all need to understand our vulnerabilities to protect ourselves and each other.

To better understand our vulnerability to misinformation, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with philosopher, cognitive scientist, author, and founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE), Dr. Andy Norman.

To promote mental immunity, Andy examines signs of mental immune disorder, what makes some groups more susceptible to mind ‘bugs’ and mental hijacking, and how to talk to someone who believes misinformation. His cognitive hygiene habits offer mental immunity to those who prefer to think rationally and want to protect themselves from conspiracy theories.

Original Air Date Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Tune in:

Meet Our Guest:

Andy Norman, PhD, is a philosopher and cognitive scientist who directs the Humanism Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University. He’s the founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE), where he’s developing the conceptual foundations of cognitive immunology — the emerging science of how minds resist, or fall prey to, bad ideas.

His writing has appeared in Scientific American, Psychology Today, Skeptic, and Free Inquiry. His book Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think — praised by Steven Pinker as “a splendid idea for a book: original, controversial, and timely” — lays out the theory behind how demagogues short-circuit minds and how ideologies corrupt moral understanding, along with the habits that help us think our way clear of them.

Book: Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think

Dr. Andy Norman—Building Mental Immunity from Misinformation & Conspiracy Theories:

We are all vulnerable to misinformation and mind bugs. {4:21}
Healthy doubt and critical thinking strengthen mental immunity, but fear can hijack the mind. {7:31}
It is natural for the elderly and marginalized groups to be susceptible to misinformation and conspiracy theories. {9:07}
The exciting mind inoculation projects at CIRCE. {17:37}
How the Biden administration handled Putin’s narrative on Ukraine is an example of preemptive cognitive hygiene. {21:28}
A kernel of truth is the key to spreading divisive misinformation. {24:11}

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING?

Check out the Harvesting Happiness podcast episode library and special More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

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Shareables:

“If you fear-monger and separate — us vs them — it keeps people dumbed down and in a state of being, like a sheep. ” @LisaKamen on @HH_TalkRadio Share on X “Propaganda, conspiracy thinking, malicious manipulative messaging, all of these things are corrupting the way people think about things. We all need to understand our vulnerability.” @DrAndyNo on @HH_TalkRadio Share on X “Intelligence is no guarantee that you don't have a lot of bad ideas.” @DrAndyNo on @HH_TalkRadio Share on X “Culture warriors have discovered in recent years that you can manipulate the mind's immune system to make people cynical and hijack people's minds by making them fear.” @DrAndyNo on @HH_TalkRadio Share on X

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H–Factor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day. Our lifelong relationships have a big influence on this journey.