Conspiracy Theories Flashcards
1
Q
How to tell if a conspiracy theory is real?
A
The source is important. They come from
- whistleblowers
- investigative journalism
- official authorities
2
Q
What does it mean when conspiracy theories are oppositional?
A
They oppose publicly known perception of reality
3
Q
What does it mean when theories are “self-sealing”?
A
- They reject traditional evidence and call it a “cover up”
4
Q
What is the concept where people tend to believe something more or less based on the impact of an event?
A
Proportional Bias
5
Q
What is illusory truth?
A
repeating something (a conspiracy, fact or misconception) more times makes it more believable to the person
6
Q
Who are the people most vulnerable to believe conspiracy theories?
A
- partisans on the losing side of political processes
- groups who feel powerless
- people who have been ostrasized
