The QAnon Phenomenon: The Storm Has Always Been Among Us

Question 1

In what way was the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot unique?

Answer 1

It was the first organized rebellion act that was facilitated by social media

Question 2

According to Mike Rothschild, which of the following apply to QAnon?

Answer 2

Cult, Internet scam, Hate group, Trope of fascism
All OF THE ABOVE

Question 3

Why did QAnon rely on social media?

Answer 3

Diffuse/scattered/ spread around
audiences are best served by communication systems that are digitally adaptable.

Question 4

According to the author, QAnon is digital fulfillment of

Answer 4

1. political sabotage
2. dirty tricks

Question 5

What is the operational strategy of QAnon?

Answer 5

a public political narrative to reshape public opinion through online channeling of disinformation.

Question 6

The Overton Window thesis is another way of describing _________________

Answer 6

opinion creep

Question 7

What features of prophesies can make them in principle unfalsifiable?

Answer 7

impossible

Question 8

Which of the following were conspiracies that QAnon claimed?

Answer 8

• Celebrities harvest adrenochrome from children’s bodies
• President Trump was secretly preparing a mass arrest of government officials and celebrities

Question 9

What were the two greatest single drivers of participation in QAnon according to political scientist Robert Pape?

Answer 9

1. whites are losing control to nonwhites
2. a global satanic pedophile cult

Question 10

According to Robert Pape, what were two (2) primary news sources for the participants in the 2021 Capitol insurrection?

Answer 10

1. NewsMax
2. One America News Network

Question 11

List four common characteristics of those who attach themselves to fringe groups and their conspiracies according to Uscinski.

Answer 11

1. the need for cognitive closure and intolerance of uncertainty
2. excessive suspicion and distrust
3. cognitive dissonance
4. confirmation bias

Question 12

What theory of Leon Festinger arose from his study of a doomsday cult in 1954?

Answer 12

a study of an apocalyptic cult

Question 13

According to the author, how important was social media to the QAnon movement?

Answer 13

created and sustained QAnon’s movement

Question 14

According to the author, how does QAnon achieve opinion creep?

Answer 14

content-free political theater

Question 15

The author lists eight (8) features of social media that makes it useful to cult building and tribal reinforcement. List four (4) of them.

Answer 15

1. scalability
2. filter bubbles
3. geographical transparency
4. sharing

Question 16

What was the Omphalos hypothesis?

Answer 16

Earth was created approximately 6,000 years ago and scientists were deceived by fossil records.