Unspun

Do high-profile debates truly shift opinions or votes? On this episode, Dr. Sturg gets into the studies to see if debates produce real changes. From Kennedy-Nixon to Romney-Obama, she looks at famous debates and explores what the research says about impacts on voters. She also looks the logical flaw of hasty generalization, using debate slip-ups as case studies. See how speakers and listeners both...

It's the holidays, and that means visits with those challenging relatives and chance encounters when you travel. In this episode, Dr. Sturg reviews some ideas from communication studies about how to have productive conversations with people you disagree with.  Why do grown adult politicians call other people mean names? Personal attacks are designed to make you trust the other person less, and...

Free speech is on the menu this week as guest Israel Balderas and Dr. Sturg talk about the First Amendment and the ways newsmakers misrepresent it. The first word is Congress, and that word matters a lot in what it does and doesn't mean.  Plus! Listener questions and the wild story of the time the ACLU and the New York Times defended the rights of American Nazi wannabes.    Follow Israel Balde...

People rely on some bad cues for how to make choices, and sometimes newsmakers don't help. In this episode, learn why "we've always done it this way" can be a bad thing. Then, Dr. Sturg talks with Dr. Ben Rein, a neuroscientist and social media star who myth busts and explains science for everyone.  Follow Dr. Ben Rein https://www.benrein.com https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.brein?lang=e...

"Nothing happened" doesn't make for much of a headline, and newsmakers know it. When they want to get your attention or get you to do something, sometimes they deliberately use fear. Dr. Sturg talks about how how the powerful use fear deceptively to keep their followers engaged.  Then, she and Dr. Seth Norrhom, a psychiatry professor and fear researcher, discuss how your brain interact...

What about what HE did? If there’s one thing politicians love, it’s calling an opponent a hypocrite. But two things can both be bad. In this episode of UnSpun, see how newsmakers try to distract from their own bad deeds by pointing out problems with others.  Then, Dr. Sturg talks with  analytics expert William Moner about how and why companies track your online behavior and what they do with that...

What do deceptive people do when they don’t have a good argument? They make things up and act like someone else said them. In this episode of UnSpun, see how people put words in someone else’s mouth and try to debate them.  Hear counter disinformation journalist Brooke Binkowski explain how people click themselves into their own conspiracy theories and and how leaders use disinformation to seed id...

Why do grown adult politicians call other people mean names? Personal attacks are designed to make you trust the other person less, and they are deceptive. In this episode of UnSpun, learn about how those attacks work, and how a little laughter can make politics easier to take, as Dr. Sturg and Canadian comedy influencer Brittlestar talk about the power of comedy in news.  Follow Brittlestar: Brit...

Welcome to Unspun where Amanda Sturgill helps us spot media manipulation and spin to get to the truth. New episodes starting September 18th Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy