This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedenthu. There are certain issues where we just don't

see eye to eye with people on the other side of the political aisle. Often it feels like

we don't just disagree over policy, we can't even agree on the facts.

I think people are mostly just setting their ways.

I would say I'm right objectively, the facts prove that there is global warming, I don't

know how you can dispute it.

But everybody thinks they're right.

I think they're wrong, I think they're making a huge mistake because security has to be

a very big issue.

My guest today has spent years studying the way we process information and why we often

reach biased conclusions. She says it's surprisingly difficult for us to change one another's minds

no matter how much data we present. But just a little bit of emotion, that can go a long

way.

Tally Sharot is a cognitive neuroscientist at University College London. In her upcoming

book The Influential Mind, she explores how our minds work, why we ignore the facts,

and how you can get people to actually listen to the truth.

Tally, welcome to Hidden Brain.

Thank you, great to be here.

A month ago you were listening to a Republican presidential debate and candidate Donald

Trump was asked a question about the safety of childhood vaccines. Here's what he said.

You take this little beautiful baby and you pump, I mean it looks just like it's meant

for a horse, not for a child. And we've had so many instances people that work from

...