Yale University
David Rand is an associate professor of psychology, economics, cognitive science and management at Yale University and director of its Human Cooperation Laboratory.
PROFILE
David Rand
Guest
FROM David Rand
To the Point
The news media and a crisis of credibility When To the Point went on the air in the year 2000, the Y2K scare had turned out to be "fake news." The big story was the disputed presidential election. Cable news was becoming a real challenge to established broadcasters. Google was barely more than a startup. Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist. Now, digital media is dominant in distributing information — and misinformation, often dismissed as "fake news." While the "free press" may be essential to democracy, President Trump calls editors and reporters "the enemies of the people." Can journalism regain the trust of listeners, viewers and readers?
To the Point
The Psychology of Heroism "Heroism" is another name for "extreme altruism," which social scientists have a hard time explaining. Now, they have a real incident to work with — Friday’s extraordinary behavior of three Americans and a Briton. French President Fran ç ois Hollande (L) awards US National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos (C) with the Legion d'Honneur as as US Airman First Class Spencer Stone (R) looks on during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, August 24, 2015. Photo: Michel Euler/Reuters/Pool Today, French President François Hollande awarded the French Legion of Honor to Americans Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler, along with Chris Norman, a 62-year old British consultant. Last Friday, they stopped a heavily armed gunman from shooting passengers on a high-speed train traveling to Paris from Amsterdam. David Rand is an Assistant Professor at Yale University’s Human Cooperation Laboratory.
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To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?