In the New York Times, Professor of Psychology and Molly Mason Jones Chair in Psychology Stacey Wood why coronavirus-related scams, such as false vaccines and phishing emails that masquerade as important information from the government, have proliferated during the pandemic. She told the Times that heightened boredom, isolation, and fear may increase credulity among people who are seeking reassurance. “It makes you open to other events that might otherwise seem implausible,鈥� she said of the surreal circumstances the pandemic has created.