Changing your mind when presented with new information Is a sign of healthy intellectual maturity and emotional intelligence. Those who buy into conspiracy theories never change their minds when presented with new information. Instead they operate from a position of "sealed logic." They make the new information part of their particular conspiracy theory and claim it was part of the plan all along.
Conspiracy theories are usually conceived as explanations for events that provoke widespread social anxiety and uncertainty, conditions under which people are eager for explanations.
The message goes something like this -- this "Group" is up to something nefarious and are trying to conceal their activities from you, but you are too smart for that and can see through the "stories" they are telling you. The discovery of a conspiracy can be exciting in spite of the lack of corroborating evidence. Conspiracies survive in the public consciousness aided by psychological biases and distrust of official sources.
Death Conspiracy Theories
Questions the official cause of death and offers alternative theories.
Anti-Semitism
Conspiracy theories about Jews spread by individuals and groups since at least the Middle Ages, often for religious reasons. Christians discriminated and even persecuted Jews as outliers. Some thought Jews poisoned people's wells. Examples of anti-semitic conspiracy theories:
Economic and Societal Conspiracy Theories
These conspiracy theories arise as explanations for events perceived by conspiracists as based on secret arrangements made by people and groups in power.
Other Common Conspiracy Theories
Use this database to understand basic concepts taught in your courses. It's also a great database for the first step in your research process. It contains short articles from encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and other reference sources on a wide range of subjects. Get started on your assignment or research project by learning about key people, places, dates, events, concepts, and ideas related to your topic.
Modern conspiracy theories are propagated almost entirely on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Parler, Gab, and other platforms are free and fast, and allow for the instantaneous creation of communities that rally around unproven assertions or accusations. In fact, “Social media is the ideal carrier of conspiracism,” says Nancy L. Rosenblum, professor of ethics in politics and government at Harvard University. "Here’s why. It doesn't require evidence."
Read a short article about conspiracy theories from the library database, Credo Reference (below):
Use this database to understand basic concepts taught in your courses. It's also a great database for the first step in your research process. It contains short articles from encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and other reference sources on a wide range of subjects. Get started on your assignment or research project by learning about key people, places, dates, events, concepts, and ideas related to your topic.