In the last 100 years, psychology has exploded as a field. We've come to understand more about what makes us tick and why. But it can feel more and more like we hate each other - why? Drawing on lessons from the US, UK and the German elections, leading thinkers pushed us to reconsider how we think we think about ourselves and each other.
This virtual panel, chaired by behavioral scientist and co-author of “Poles Apart” Alex Chesterfield, delved into these issues with experts Jay van Bavel, Psychology and Neural Science Professor at NYU, Dr. Leor Zmigrod, Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, and Katharina Weghmann, Partner at Ernst & Young Forensic and Integrity Services.
Chair: Alexandra Chesterfield (Alex) is a behavioural scientist with a master's degree in Cognitive and Decision Science. Forever curious about why we do what we do, she currently works in financial services, leading a team of behavioural scientists to help get better outcomes for employees and customers. For four years, she was an elected Councillor in Guildford for the Conservative Party. She has personally experienced the effects of affective polarisation, both in and out of the workplace. Alex lives near London with her husband, son and daughter.
Jay Van Bavel is an Associate Professor of Psychology & Neural Science at New York University, Director of the Social Identity & Morality Lab, and author of "The Power of Us Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony". His research examines how collective concerns—group identities, moral values, and political beliefs—shape the mind, brain, and behavior.
Dr. Leor Zmigrod is a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. Her research combines methods from experimental psychology, cognitive science, political science, and neuroscience to investigate the psychology of ideological extremism and dogmatism. In particular, she investigates cognitive characteristics that might act as vulnerability factors for radicalization and ideologically-motivated behaviour. Her role in pioneering the field of political neuroscience has been recognized by Forbes, Women of the Future Awards, the Royal Society, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Katharina Weghmann is a Partner at Ernst & Young Forensic and Integrity Services, leading ESG globally with a strong focus on ethics and integrity. Prior to EY, Katharina was an adviser and researcher for corporate ethics and whistleblowing due to her extensive research and doctoral dissertation at Columbia University on whistleblowing in the financial sector after the financial crisis. Prior to EY, she served as Business Outreach Director at Ethical Systems between 2014-2015. Katharina is a member of the Supervisory Board at Witten/Herdecke University and the Board of Trustees at Reinhard-Mohn-Institute for Management.
Program curated in partnership with Wearepolesapart Limited.