Joe Pierre, MD
@psychunseen.bsky.social
Academic psychiatrist at UCSF and author of the Psych Unseen blog at Psychology Today and the book False: How Mistrust, Disinformation, and Motivated Reasoning Make Us Believe Things That Aren't True (Oxford University Press, 2025) drjoepierre.com
Happy Birthday Bruce Lee
November 28, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Happy Birthday Bruce Lee
New book on Cults and Persuasive Leadership with a chapter by me.
Check it out.
Check it out.
November 14, 2025 at 2:49 PM
New book on Cults and Persuasive Leadership with a chapter by me.
Check it out.
Check it out.
Zoom in to @indivisible.org today at 1:30 PM to hear me and other experts talk about medical misinformation.
November 9, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Zoom in to @indivisible.org today at 1:30 PM to hear me and other experts talk about medical misinformation.
October 18, 2025 at 8:11 PM
280 children died from flu last year.
The vast majority were unvaccinated.
www.jwatch.org/na59293/2025...
The vast majority were unvaccinated.
www.jwatch.org/na59293/2025...
October 13, 2025 at 2:38 PM
280 children died from flu last year.
The vast majority were unvaccinated.
www.jwatch.org/na59293/2025...
The vast majority were unvaccinated.
www.jwatch.org/na59293/2025...
George Packer hits the nail on the head, describing exactly what has come of American democracy.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
October 2, 2025 at 3:39 PM
George Packer hits the nail on the head, describing exactly what has come of American democracy.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Since Antifa doesn't exist in any structural or organizational way, it seems obvious that designating "it" as a terrorist organization is merely a way to claim that anyone opposing the Trump administration is affiliated and therefore fair game to prosecute under the Patriot Act.
September 18, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Since Antifa doesn't exist in any structural or organizational way, it seems obvious that designating "it" as a terrorist organization is merely a way to claim that anyone opposing the Trump administration is affiliated and therefore fair game to prosecute under the Patriot Act.
September 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
It’s astounding that it’s now possible to predict your political affiliation with 100% accuracy by your acknowledgement or denial that the signature on this card depicting an adolescent girl’s torso obviously belongs to Donald Trump.
September 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
It’s astounding that it’s now possible to predict your political affiliation with 100% accuracy by your acknowledgement or denial that the signature on this card depicting an adolescent girl’s torso obviously belongs to Donald Trump.
This is why poll data can be so limiting.
I'd love to know how many respondents can define "capitalism" and "socialism."
And also if Republicans think the US was socialist under President Biden and whether the gov't acquiring a stake in Intel is capitalism.
news.gallup.com/poll/694835/...
I'd love to know how many respondents can define "capitalism" and "socialism."
And also if Republicans think the US was socialist under President Biden and whether the gov't acquiring a stake in Intel is capitalism.
news.gallup.com/poll/694835/...
September 9, 2025 at 10:21 PM
This is why poll data can be so limiting.
I'd love to know how many respondents can define "capitalism" and "socialism."
And also if Republicans think the US was socialist under President Biden and whether the gov't acquiring a stake in Intel is capitalism.
news.gallup.com/poll/694835/...
I'd love to know how many respondents can define "capitalism" and "socialism."
And also if Republicans think the US was socialist under President Biden and whether the gov't acquiring a stake in Intel is capitalism.
news.gallup.com/poll/694835/...
Someone on X asked me why doctors have been so bad at "selling" people on vaccines.
The answer lies below.
TLDR: It's not MD's fault per se. It's mistrust, misinformation, and motivated reasoning on the part of *certain* patients.
news.gallup.com/poll/648308/...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
The answer lies below.
TLDR: It's not MD's fault per se. It's mistrust, misinformation, and motivated reasoning on the part of *certain* patients.
news.gallup.com/poll/648308/...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
September 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Someone on X asked me why doctors have been so bad at "selling" people on vaccines.
The answer lies below.
TLDR: It's not MD's fault per se. It's mistrust, misinformation, and motivated reasoning on the part of *certain* patients.
news.gallup.com/poll/648308/...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
The answer lies below.
TLDR: It's not MD's fault per se. It's mistrust, misinformation, and motivated reasoning on the part of *certain* patients.
news.gallup.com/poll/648308/...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
When charlatans like RFK Jr. say "stop trusting the experts," what they're really saying is, "discount knowledge and experience and buy into my own bullshit instead."
August 30, 2025 at 3:10 PM
When charlatans like RFK Jr. say "stop trusting the experts," what they're really saying is, "discount knowledge and experience and buy into my own bullshit instead."
"Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action?
OK, but then explain why there not only hasn't been any action, but a reversal of preventative measures like red flag laws by GOP leaders and the Trump administration.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
OK, but then explain why there not only hasn't been any action, but a reversal of preventative measures like red flag laws by GOP leaders and the Trump administration.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
August 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
"Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action?
OK, but then explain why there not only hasn't been any action, but a reversal of preventative measures like red flag laws by GOP leaders and the Trump administration.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
OK, but then explain why there not only hasn't been any action, but a reversal of preventative measures like red flag laws by GOP leaders and the Trump administration.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
1/ AI-Associated Psychosis is being increasingly reported in the media and in online spaces like Reddit.
I've seen cases in clinical practice and have received emails from concerned friends/family about loved ones falling down the rabbit hole.
Here's some explanations/tips to help...
I've seen cases in clinical practice and have received emails from concerned friends/family about loved ones falling down the rabbit hole.
Here's some explanations/tips to help...
August 21, 2025 at 8:09 PM
1/ AI-Associated Psychosis is being increasingly reported in the media and in online spaces like Reddit.
I've seen cases in clinical practice and have received emails from concerned friends/family about loved ones falling down the rabbit hole.
Here's some explanations/tips to help...
I've seen cases in clinical practice and have received emails from concerned friends/family about loved ones falling down the rabbit hole.
Here's some explanations/tips to help...
Trump says that DC crime is out of control and needs a federal takeover, but the USAO reports that violent crime in DC is at the lowest point it's been in 30 years.
Once again, false beliefs / propaganda are being used to justify authoritarian policy.
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/v...
Once again, false beliefs / propaganda are being used to justify authoritarian policy.
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/v...
August 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Trump says that DC crime is out of control and needs a federal takeover, but the USAO reports that violent crime in DC is at the lowest point it's been in 30 years.
Once again, false beliefs / propaganda are being used to justify authoritarian policy.
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/v...
Once again, false beliefs / propaganda are being used to justify authoritarian policy.
www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/v...
Today I'll be giving a talk "From Democracy to Autocracy: Suicide by False Belief" for the UC Irvine Center for Neuropolitics Lecture Series.
The event is open to the public (with registration)--come check it out!
sites.uci.edu/centerforneu...
The event is open to the public (with registration)--come check it out!
sites.uci.edu/centerforneu...
August 8, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Today I'll be giving a talk "From Democracy to Autocracy: Suicide by False Belief" for the UC Irvine Center for Neuropolitics Lecture Series.
The event is open to the public (with registration)--come check it out!
sites.uci.edu/centerforneu...
The event is open to the public (with registration)--come check it out!
sites.uci.edu/centerforneu...
When I first saw this, I thought it had to be fake.
But here is the actual Tweet, still up, by a US Congressman proposing the legislation of ideologically-motivated murder.
Snopes re: "Thump Thump" here:
www.snopes.com/news/2025/07...
But here is the actual Tweet, still up, by a US Congressman proposing the legislation of ideologically-motivated murder.
Snopes re: "Thump Thump" here:
www.snopes.com/news/2025/07...
August 1, 2025 at 3:10 PM
When I first saw this, I thought it had to be fake.
But here is the actual Tweet, still up, by a US Congressman proposing the legislation of ideologically-motivated murder.
Snopes re: "Thump Thump" here:
www.snopes.com/news/2025/07...
But here is the actual Tweet, still up, by a US Congressman proposing the legislation of ideologically-motivated murder.
Snopes re: "Thump Thump" here:
www.snopes.com/news/2025/07...
Yep, Trump’s career and Presidency has been one bigly Mulligan, the likes of which we’ve never seen before.
July 31, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Yep, Trump’s career and Presidency has been one bigly Mulligan, the likes of which we’ve never seen before.
Trump may think everyone has ADHD ("hey look, a squirrel"), but a lot of folks aren't gonna let Epstein go.
Sometimes when you live by the conspiracy theory, you die by the conspiracy theory.
Sometimes when you live by the conspiracy theory, you die by the conspiracy theory.
July 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Trump may think everyone has ADHD ("hey look, a squirrel"), but a lot of folks aren't gonna let Epstein go.
Sometimes when you live by the conspiracy theory, you die by the conspiracy theory.
Sometimes when you live by the conspiracy theory, you die by the conspiracy theory.
"Instead of moving closer to truth, belief in misinformation is running rampant, paving the way for authoritarian regimes to bulldoze democratic institutions with foolhardy political policies..."
imperfectcognitions.blogspot.com/2025/07/fals...
imperfectcognitions.blogspot.com/2025/07/fals...
July 11, 2025 at 3:38 AM
"Instead of moving closer to truth, belief in misinformation is running rampant, paving the way for authoritarian regimes to bulldoze democratic institutions with foolhardy political policies..."
imperfectcognitions.blogspot.com/2025/07/fals...
imperfectcognitions.blogspot.com/2025/07/fals...
It's official.
There have now been more cases of measles in 2025 than in any other year over more than 3 decades.
Meanwhile, RFK Jr. continues to push away from vaccinations as a strategy to Make America Healthy Again.
Correlation=causation.
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
There have now been more cases of measles in 2025 than in any other year over more than 3 decades.
Meanwhile, RFK Jr. continues to push away from vaccinations as a strategy to Make America Healthy Again.
Correlation=causation.
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
July 9, 2025 at 9:36 PM
It's official.
There have now been more cases of measles in 2025 than in any other year over more than 3 decades.
Meanwhile, RFK Jr. continues to push away from vaccinations as a strategy to Make America Healthy Again.
Correlation=causation.
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
There have now been more cases of measles in 2025 than in any other year over more than 3 decades.
Meanwhile, RFK Jr. continues to push away from vaccinations as a strategy to Make America Healthy Again.
Correlation=causation.
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
Another 5 star review of FALSE from a reader! And the book is almost 50% off at Amazon now--a great time to check it out.
www.amazon.com/dp/0197765270/
www.amazon.com/dp/0197765270/
July 4, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Another 5 star review of FALSE from a reader! And the book is almost 50% off at Amazon now--a great time to check it out.
www.amazon.com/dp/0197765270/
www.amazon.com/dp/0197765270/
My paper "Suicide, Terrorism, or Martyrdom: The Psychological Motives and Cultural Sanctioning of Dying for a Cause" is out in the Brown Journal of World Affairs:
bjwa.brown.edu/wp-content/u...
bjwa.brown.edu/wp-content/u...
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 PM
My paper "Suicide, Terrorism, or Martyrdom: The Psychological Motives and Cultural Sanctioning of Dying for a Cause" is out in the Brown Journal of World Affairs:
bjwa.brown.edu/wp-content/u...
bjwa.brown.edu/wp-content/u...