Irrational Exuberance

In an essay in the Wall Street Journal, Stephen Greenspan explains some of the psychology behind the success of Ponzi schemes: Why We Keep Falling For Financial Scams. The basic mechanism explaining the success of Ponzi schemes is the tendency of humans to model their actions — especially when dealing with matters they don’t fully … Read more »

Gullibility

NPR’s Science Friday has an interesting broadcast on Gullibility. Ira Flatow interview Stephen Greenspan, author of Annals of Gullibility: Why We Get Duped and How to Avoid It. Can science explain why some swindles are so successful? Why are some people more likely to try to buy the Brooklyn Bridge or send money to the … Read more »