The Psychology of Gaslighting, Bullying, Cults, and Coercion

What do gaslighting, bullying, cults, and coercion have in common? In this episode, Michael Shermer speaks with Jennifer Fraser about the psychology and neuroscience of manipulation, the recurring structure of abuse cultures, and the way authority can distort perception. Their discussion looks at fear, humiliation, retaliation, favoritism, empathy deficits, and the warning signs that distinguish legitimate leadership from coercive control across schools, workplaces, sports, relationships, and institutions. Jennifer Fraser is the author of four books and an international expert on bullying and abuse. Her latest book is The Gaslit Brain: Protect Your Brain from the Lies of Bullying, Gaslighting, and Institutional Complicit y.

You can listen to The Psychology of Gaslighting, Bullying, Cults, and Coercion online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Psychology of Gaslighting, Bullying, Cults, and Coercion is an episode from The Michael Shermer Show by Michael Shermer.

This episode is 01:17:04 long.

This episode was published on Mar 31, 2026.

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