Psychology of Conspiracy Theories: Module 3 Notes

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What is the projection bias described in the text?

The tendency to project our own undesirable traits onto others (correct)

The bias towards believing in conspiracy theories due to personal involvement in questionable activities

The general tendency to make sense of other people's actions by comparing them to our own behaviors

The inclination to predict other people's behaviors based on their personality styles

How does the projection bias relate to conspiracy theory belief?

People projecting Machiavellian traits onto others are less likely to believe in conspiracy theories

Individuals who believe others are possible conspirators may have Machiavellian personality styles (correct)

Projection bias leads to a higher likelihood of believing in conspiracies due to projecting personal tendencies

Conspiracy theorists often exhibit projection bias by imagining themselves in the shoes of others

What was the main finding of the conspiracy theory experiment mentioned in the text?

Most students reported willingness to participate in covering up existence of aliens

Participants generally refused involvement in any cover-up activities

Few students were willing to participate, and they were less inclined to believe in conspiracy theories

There was a correlation between willingness to engage in questionable activities and belief in conspiracy theories (correct)

In the animation experiment with shapes, what was significant about the individual who described the video purely in geometric terms?

Their interpretation went against the intentionality bias Signup and view all the answers

What is the intentionality bias mentioned in the text related to the animation experiment?

Tendency to interpret shapes and animations as having human-like intentions Signup and view all the answers

How did the conspiracy theory experiment reflect the projection bias described in the text?

Through participants projecting their own undesirable tendencies onto those involved in conspiracy-like activities Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the most influential word when making a request?

Because Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest is the reason people are more likely to comply with a request when it is followed by 'because'?

People are structured to need reasons for their actions. Signup and view all the answers

What is one way to prevent the misuse of the knowledge about the effectiveness of using 'because' when making a request?

Arm people against the misuse of this knowledge. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between a person acting against the group or crowd and the neural activity in their brain?

It activates brain areas correlated with pain and conflict. Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest about the relationship between pain signals and various behaviors and practices?

Pain signals may cause or trigger various behaviors and practices. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main criticism leveled against Tulsi Gabbard by the New York Times writer?

Gabbard is a 'toadie' or sycophant of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason given in the text for why Tulsi Gabbard's past anti-LGBT stances and comments should make LGBT voters hesitant to trust her now?

Gabbard has not done enough to make amends for her past anti-LGBT positions. Signup and view all the answers

According to the study discussed in the text, what is the main reason why many college students show no learning growth during their time in college?

Students are not sufficiently engaged in their coursework and academics. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason given in the text for why incompetent men are more likely to become leaders compared to women?

Men are more likely to overestimate their abilities and confidence. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of the best leaders?

Humble and sometimes perceived as 'boring' by the public. Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest is a key reason why the media and society 'worship' charismatic, narcissistic leaders?

Their megalomania and grandiosity taps into our own narcissistic tendencies. Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest is a problematic way that people often 'nurture' leaders?

By promoting a narcissistic mindset, such as 'Don't worry what other people think of you'. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between competence and confidence in leaders?

Confident leaders are more likely to be perceived as competent, even if their actual competence is low. Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest is a key reason why colleges have become focused on amenities and status rather than academic quality?

Colleges are trying to attract more students by offering luxurious campus facilities. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main factor that explains variations in student learning across different colleges?

The specific policies and practices of the individual colleges. Signup and view all the answers

According to the experiments on intentionality bias, which of the following sentences would be more likely to be interpreted as intentional by conspiracy theorists?

The employee purposefully deleted important files Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following biases is exemplified by the interpretation of the "out-of-place" umbrella at the Kennedy assassination as being a cause of the assassination?

Pattern-recognition bias Signup and view all the answers

According to the experiments on proportionality bias, which of the following events would be more likely to be perceived as having a significant cause?

A plane crash with hundreds of casualties Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the pattern-recognition bias?

The tendency to see patterns in random data or noise Signup and view all the answers

According to the experiments on pattern-recognition bias, when are people more likely to see meaningful patterns in noisy images?

When they lack control over their circumstances Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following biases is demonstrated by the interpretation of the Kanizsa Triangle illusion?

Pattern-recognition bias Signup and view all the answers

According to the experiments on intentionality bias, which of the following groups would be more likely to interpret ambiguous sentences as intentional?

People who tend to believe in conspiracy theories Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following biases is exemplified by the interpretation of the TWA 800 plane crash as being caused by a missile attack, despite a lack of evidence?

Proportionality bias Signup and view all the answers

According to the experiments on pattern-recognition bias, which of the following groups would be more likely to endorse conspiracy theories?

People who feel they lack control over their circumstances Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following biases is demonstrated by the interpretation of the "jilted lover" story in the moving shapes experiment?

Intentionality bias Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that women tend to score higher on compared to men?

Assertiveness Signup and view all the answers

The text suggests that when selecting leaders, we should focus on:

Elevating standards for selecting both male and female leaders Signup and view all the answers

According to the principle of social proof, which of the following is true?

People are more likely to follow the crowd's behavior Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following examples illustrates the principle of reciprocation?

Waiters leaving a mint on the check, leading to higher tips Signup and view all the answers

According to the prospect theory, which of the following statements is true?

Information about potential losses is more powerful than potential gains Signup and view all the answers

In the example of the Oklahoma Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, what principle is being illustrated?

The principle of similarity Signup and view all the answers

According to the firefighter training example, what approach leads to better training outcomes?

Showing examples of firefighters' mistakes Signup and view all the answers

In the hotel towel example, what type of messaging led to a 34% increase in towel recycling behavior?

Messaging that stated the majority of guests recycle their towels Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the science of persuasion is NOT true according to the text?

The science of persuasion relies solely on logical arguments and reasoning Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about increasing voter turnout is true?

A combination of negative and positive messaging is needed to increase voter turnout Signup and view all the answers