E142: How to Lie With Research (Even If You’re Not Trying) - Alex Edmans

Finance professor Alex Edmans joins to expose how research, statistics, and stories are often weaponized to mislead us—and what we can do to resist confirmation bias in a post-truth world.

👤 Guest Bio

Alex Edmans is a Professor of Finance at London Business School, a former investment banker, TED speaker, and the author of May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases—and What We Can Do About It.

🧠 Topics Discussed

• CEO pay, testimony before UK Parliament, and research misrepresentation
• The problem with cherry-picked or manipulated studies
• Diversity, ESG, and performance: what research really shows
• Why “smart” people still fall for bad ideas (e.g., Theranos)
• How confirmation bias affects policymakers, businesses, and parents
• The myth of breastfeeding and IQ
• Using ChatGPT and AI tools more critically
• Why post-truth thinking is dangerous—and how to fight back

📌 Main Points

• Misquoting research is rampant—even in government policymaking.
• Studies can be cherry-picked or selectively framed to “prove” anything.
• Diversity and ESG don’t always lead to better performance, especially when oversimplified.
• Smart investors, policymakers, and academics are just as vulnerable to bias.
• AI tools like ChatGPT can reinforce misinformation unless prompted with skepticism.
• It's not about learning statistics—it’s about applying common sense and open-mindedness.
• Be as skeptical of studies you like as those you dislike.

💬 Top 3 Quotes

• “Even if a statistic is 100% correct, the interpretation of it can still be completely misleading.”
• “We know how to poke holes in studies we disagree with. The challenge is doing the same when we agree with the findings.”
• “AI can’t fix misinformation—it reflects it. You need to know how to interrogate it.”

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/
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