Research Paper Topic Presentation
This research paper explores the question, "Why do people believe in conspiracies?" Delving into the definition of conspiracy theories, we analyze them as explanations of events arising from secret plots by powerful individuals. The paper discusses key concepts such as patternicity, agenticity, confirmation bias, and hindsight bias, which contribute to conspiratorial thinking. Through examining notable examples like the JFK assassination and the moon landing conspiracy, the paper aims to enhance awareness of how our cognitive biases influence our perceptions and judgments regarding conspiracies.
Research Paper Topic Presentation
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Research Paper TopicPresentation Chris Chia-haoChianglin | Jun. 14
Introduction • TOPIC: Why Do People Believe in Conspiracies?
What is “conspiracy”? Conspiracy =Conspiracy theory Lie Myth Hoax
What is “conspiracy”? • According to Wikipedia: “A conspiracy theory explains a historical or current event as a result of a secret plot by exceptionally powerful and cunning conspirators to achieve a malevolent end.” Malevolent: having or showing a desire to harm other people
What is “conspiracy”? • Michael Shermer • With a documentary filmmaker • Exposing the conspiracy behind 9/11
What is “conspiracy”? • M: You mean the conspiracy by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda to attack the United States? • DF: That’s what they want you to believe. • M: Who is they? • DF: But didn’t Osama and some members of al Qaeda not only say they did it? • M:They gloated about what a glorious triumph it was?
What is “conspiracy”? • DF: Oh, you’re talking about that video of Osama. • M: That was faked by the CIA and leaked to the American press to mislead us. There has been a disinformation campaign going on ever since 9/11.
What is “conspiracy”? • Disinformation: • false information that is given deliberately, esp. by government organizations
Relevant to the audience • Examples: • JFK assassination • Moon landing • SARS • 3-19 shooting incident • …
Relevant to the audience • By realizing how do we/people believe in conspiracies, we may be more conscious, before we choose to believe in conspiracies, of what is going on in our mind and then make judgments.
Research Question • QUESTION: Why Do People Believe in Conspiracies?
Supporting information • Conspiracy theories connect the dots of random events into meaningful patterns with intentional agency. • Patternicity • Agenticity
Supporting information • Patternicity • the tendency to find meaningful patterns in random noise • Agenticity • the bent to believe the world is controlled by invisible intentional agents
Supporting information • Add to those propensities the confirmation bias and the hindsight bias, and we have the foundation for conspiratorial cognition. • Confirmation bias • Hindsight bias ↓A tendency to a particular kind of behavior
Supporting information • Confirmation bias • seeks and finds confirmatory evidence for what we already believe • Hindsight bias • tailors after-the-fact explanations to what we already know happened Tailor: make or adapt sth for a particular purpose.
Conclusion • “When something momentous happens, EVERYTHING leading up to and away from the events seems momentous, too.”
References • Conspiracy theory. (2011, June 10). Retrieved from the Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory#Study_of_conspiracism • Shermer, Michael. "Why People Believe in Conspiracies." Scientific American. Scientific American, Inc., 10 Sep. 2009. Web. 31 May 2011.