"If there is one genre that has captured the imagination of people in all walks of life throughout the world, it is the fairy tale. Yet we still have great difficulty understanding how it originated, evolved, and spread--or why so many people cannot resist its appeal, no matter how it changes or what form it takes. In this book, renowned fairy-tale expert Jack Zipes presents a provocative new theory about why fairy tales were created and retold--and why they became such an indelible and infinitely adaptable part of cultures around the world. Drawing on cognitive science, evolutionary theory, anthropology, psychology, literary theory, and other fields, Zipes presents a nuanced argument about how fairy tales originated in ancient oral cultures, how they evolved through the rise of literary culture and print, and how, in our own time, they continue to change through their adaptation in an ever-growing variety of media. In making his case, Zipes considers a wide range of fascinating examples, including fairy tales told, collected, and written by women in the nineteenth century; Catherine Breillat's film adaptation of Perrault's "Bluebeard"; and contemporary fairy-tale drawings, paintings, sculptures, and photographs that critique canonical print versions. While we may never be able to fully explain fairy tales, The Irresistible Fairy Tale provides a powerful theory of how and why they evolved--and why we still use them to make meaning of our lives."--Jacket.

Why do smart people fall for political lies? Why do facts often fail to change minds? And how has disinformation become the most powerful tool in modern American politics? In an era flooded with information, ignorance isn't just a lack of knowledge - it's a weapon. Weaponization of Ignorance: How Lies and Misinformation Divided America is a timely and piercing examination of how disinformation campaigns, partisan media, and psychological bias have created a parallel reality for millions of Americans. From Fox News propaganda to social media echo chambers , from confirmation bias to conspiracy thinking , this book reveals how political actors - particularly on the far right - manipulate truth to gain power, distort public perception, and erode democratic norms. Drawing from research in political psychology, media studies, and cognitive science, author Stephen M. Fry, Ph.D. uncovers the inner workings of belief systems built on emotion, identity, and fear - not facts. Inside, you'll discover: Why intelligent, well-educated people believe lies How Trump and right-wing media weaponize misinformation What makes people susceptible to political cults and extremist ideologies How social and partisan media create self-reinforcing bubbles Why many conservatives distrust science, journalism, and institutions How to talk to Trump supporters - and when it's futile How ignorance is strategically used to suppress truth and sabotage democracy What we can do - through critical thinking, media literacy, and education - to reclaim reality Far from a partisan rant, Weaponization of Ignorance offers a clear-eyed and deeply researched framework for understanding how political misinformation works, who benefits from it, and why it has proven so stubbornly resilient - even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Whether you're trying to make sense of friends or family who've fallen down the rabbit hole, or seeking to understand the psychological roots of political extremism , this book will give you the tools to interpret, engage with, and resist a world awash in distortion. Insightful, urgent, and empowering, Weaponization of Ignorance is essential reading for anyone concerned about truth, democracy, and the restoration of our shared reality.

This book offers an accessible and broadly conceived introduction to social psychology. Written in a lucid and lively style, it assumes no prior knowledge of the field, and is the ideal textbook to get students thinking about the subject. The volume covers the main issues of social psychology ? as well as many classic studies ? such as self and personality, interpersonal relations, language and communication, altruism and aggression, group processes, attitudes, and intergroup relations. What sets this book apart is its coverage of less orthodox topics which are often neglected in introductions of this kind. These areas include emotions, social and moral development, social representations, health and illness, employment and unemployment, and the implications of these fields for social policy. The result is an unusually rich and wide-ranging presentation of social psychology, drawing together a deliberately varied range of methodology and theory. The currently dominant cognitive and psychological approach to social psychology receives systematic consideration in a number of chapters, but its focus on individuals and face-to-face interaction is continually related to broader social concerns and contexts. This is achieved through the use of cross-cultural and historical comparisons, together with an awareness of the contributions that can be made by related social sciences. The authors aim to show that social psychology illuminates the whole of social life, including everyday issues faced by all of us.

This volume brings together contributions from researchers in the field of social cognition, whose work reflects the full range of ways that goals and cognitive processes interact in mediating social phenomena and processes. The text should be of interest to students and scholars in social and cognitive psychology alike.