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Do politics make us irrational? - Jay Van Bavel

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16,050 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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Can someone’s political identity actually affect their ability to process information? The answer lies in a cognitive phenomenon known as partisanship. While identifying with social groups is an essential and healthy part of life, it can become a problem when the group’s beliefs are at odds with reality. So how can we recognize and combat partisanship? Jay Van Bavel shares helpful strategies.

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You are biased. What can you do to ensure you engage in critical thinking and avoid misperceiving the world around you?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Jay Van Bavel
  • Director Patrick Smith
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Patrick Smith
  • Animator Patrick Smith
  • Compositor Patrick Smith
  • Art Director Patrick Smith
  • Sound Designer Patrick Smith
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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