Psychology of Conspiracy Theories: Vulnerabilities and Projections

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What is a key factor in selecting more women leaders according to the text?

Physical strength
Appearance
Length of experience
Competence (correct)

Which quality are women shown to score higher on compared to men?

Aggressiveness
Physical strength
Assertiveness
Integrity (correct)

What does the text recommend when it comes to selecting male and female leaders?

Lowering standards for women
Focusing on stereotypes
Relying on intuition
Elevating standards for both genders (correct)

What is a downside of relying on intuition in selecting leaders?

It leads to gender bias (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which principle of persuasion emphasizes the influence of the crowd's opinion?

Social proof (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the Petrified Forest National Park example, what led to a significant increase in theft?

"Many are stealing" sign implying social proof (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the most effective way to get people to comply with a request?

Provide a reason, even if it is not a great one (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest about the potential misuse of the persuasion technique involving the word 'because'?

It raises ethical concerns about arming people against its misuse (C) Signup and view all the answers

What happens in the brain when a person acts against the group or crowd?

Brain areas correlated with pain and conflict are activated (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the neuroscience of persuasion primarily concerned with?

The neural mechanisms underlying persuasive communication (B) Signup and view all the answers

What may the pain signals triggered by acting against the group or crowd cause or trigger?

Various behaviors and practices (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the intentionality bias in the context of belief in conspiracy theories?

The tendency to attribute intentional motives to random or accidental events (B) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the 'projection bias' experiment, what does it mean for someone to exhibit a 'Machiavellian personality style'?

They are more likely to attribute malicious or deceptive motives to others (D) Signup and view all the answers

In the animation experiment, what did the researchers find about how people interpreted the movements of the geometric shapes?

Only one person described the shapes' movements without attributing any intentional motives or agency (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the 'projection bias' in the context of belief in conspiracy theories?

The tendency to project one's own beliefs and biases onto others, leading to assumptions about their motives and actions (A) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the information provided, which of the following statements is true about the relationship between personality traits and belief in conspiracy theories?

Those with Machiavellian personality styles, characterized by cynicism and distrust, are more inclined to believe in conspiracy theories (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the 'thought experiment' involving the NASA lunar landing project, what does it suggest about the relationship between individual decision-making and belief in conspiracy theories?

Individuals who would be willing to participate in unethical activities are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why incompetent men often become leaders?

Men tend to overestimate their abilities, making them appear more confident and charismatic. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's view on the impact of charismatic leaders?

Charismatic leaders often have a negative effect on followers and subordinates. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of higher education institutions?

Educating and fostering student learning. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately reflects Tulsi Gabbard's stance on LGBT rights?

Gabbard's religious upbringing influenced her initial anti-LGBT views, which she later reversed. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why colleges are disinvesting in academic quality?

Colleges are competing with each other through amenities rather than academic quality. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the information provided, which of the following statements about student learning is true?

A significant proportion of college students show no learning growth during their studies. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's opinion on the type of leaders that are most effective?

Effective leaders are humble, and their leadership style may be perceived as boring. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the relationship between competence and confidence, as described in the text?

There is a weak link between competence and confidence, and people struggle to distinguish between the two. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason why students in the longitudinal study performed poorly in terms of learning?

Students were not sufficiently engaged in their studies and spent minimal time on academic work. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best represents the author's view on the relationship between fame and leadership?

People tend to conflate fame with competence, leading to the promotion of unqualified leaders. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In the experiment by Karen Douglas, what was the method used to measure participants' tendency to see the world in terms of motives and intents?

Participants were asked to rate how motivated and alive they perceived moving shapes to be. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of the proportionality bias discussed in the text?

Attributing the TWA 800 plane explosion to a missile strike rather than a small cause. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the Kanizsa Triangle used to illustrate?

The pattern-recognition bias (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the results of Rob Brotherton's experiment, what is the relationship between interpreting ambiguous sentences as intentional and belief in conspiracy theories?

Interpreting ambiguous sentences as intentional is positively correlated with belief in conspiracy theories. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the conclusion drawn from the experiment using noisy static patterns?

People are more likely to see meaningful visual patterns when they lack control over their circumstances and endorse conspiracy theories. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the tendency to see the world in terms of motives and intents and belief in conspiracy theories?

The tendency to see the world in terms of motives and intents is positively correlated with belief in conspiracy theories. (B) Signup and view all the answers