Lecture 9 Flashcards

1
Q

What are conspiracy theories

A

Attempts to explain the ultimate causes of significant social and political events and circumstances with claims of secret plots by two or more powerful actors.

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2
Q

According to Douglas, there are 3 types of motives for conspiracy theories

A
  • Epistemic: understanding the world they live in
    ○ Video of the triangles and the circle fighting: you see relationship between the shapes, a story out of it, instead of just shapes. Shows that we find meaning in things. We look for causal explanation, one was running because the other was chasing it.
  • Social: maintaining a positive of self and in-group
    ○ Higher need to feel unique, Mad Mike had a need to know more than the others
    ○ Have a need to feel group is superior than others (ingroup narcissism)
  • Existential: maintaining a sense of power and control over your life, your surroundings.
    ○ Feeling powerless is a big predictor.
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3
Q

Consequences of conspiracy theories

A
  1. Reduced Civic Participation: those exposed to conspiracy narratives were less likely to vote, participate.
  2. Anxiety: exacerbates one’s anxiety. Important caveat (existential motive to feel in control but then does not satisfy those needs)
  3. Trust in Politics: Reduce trust in politics.
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4
Q

The two large types of democracy

A
  1. Representative
  2. Direct
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5
Q

Which type of democracy is Stealth democracy (focus on efficiency, les partisanship and relies largely on expert opinion)

A

Representative

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6
Q

Which type of democracy is Deliberative democracy (People vote directly on policy issues through REFERENDA)

A

Direct

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7
Q

Which type of democracy do conspiracy believers want more

A

Direct democracy

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8
Q

Name a strong predictor of vaccine skepticism

A

Spirituality

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9
Q

what are the two categories of the Model of the tree and roots by Hornsey

A

○ Surface attitudes:
Ex. My future is in the stars, vaccines are toxic, i don’t believe in climate change

○ Attitude roots: deeper attitudes, the ones that explain the surface attitudes
Ex. Conspiracist worldview, ideologies, anxieties, social identities

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10
Q

conclusion regarding model of attitude roots of science rejection (link with interventions on science skepticism)

A

we have to target the attitude roots. It is not sufficient to provide information about the surface attitudes. To convince them, need to go to the root.

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11
Q

3 broad types of intervention proposed against conspiracy beliefs and anti-science attitudes

A
  1. Corrections/Debunking (when it’s due to misinformation)
  2. Education - focusing on general education can be a way forward.
  3. Effective Science Communication - targeting identity and motivated processes, tailoring the message to make it more convincing to the people.
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