How to protect yourself against gaslighting and misinformation

Advice from a cognitive neuroscientist

One of the more fascinating aspects of the human brain is that it is suggestible—which is not to be confused with weak-minded.

There are actually some quite solid reasons why we evolved to be suggestible. According to cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Amir Raz, suggestibility enhances social cohesion, speeds learning, conserves cognitive energy, and enables humans to live in shared symbolic realities—the stories, rituals, and beliefs that give meaning to our lives and bind groups together.

But it’s not uncomplicated. Suggestibility can also leave us vulnerable to misinformation and gaslighting. So, how can you protect yourself?

Raz has some suggestions:

• Practice critical thinking. Actively analyze and question what you’re told; don’t accept information at face value.

• Triangulate your sources. Verify information using multiple, independent and credible sources.

• Consider the source's motive. Ask yourself: Who is saying this, and what’s their agenda?

• Watch out for confirmation bias. Recognize your mind’s tendency to favor what it already believes.

• Stay intellectually humble. Accept that you won’t always be right—and remain open to revising your views.

On today’s episode of 10% Happier, I chat with Dr. Raz about his career transition from professional magician to neuroscientist, his practical exercises for increasing thought control, and why placebos may work even when you know you’re taking them.

Paid subscribers also get a new guided meditation on mental noting—designed to accompany the episode—from our meditation teacher of the month, Dawn Mauricio.

Paid subscribers get the 10% Happier podcast ad-free, as well as:

• A cheatsheet for each episode — with key takeaways, time-coded highlights, and a transcript

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Episode cheatsheet

The big takeaway

Dr. Amir Raz, a former magician turned neuroscientist, explores how the power of suggestion shapes our minds, behaviors, and wellbeing. He shares that human suggestibility is not a sign of weakness, but an evolutionary gift—one that can be harnessed for positive change, from pain relief to reframing our mental health challenges.

6 practical ways to turn your suggestibility into a superpower