Conspiracy Theories
101
Part 1: Why Are Conspiracy Theories So Popular?
As you watch the
KQED
Above the Noise
video
Why Are Conspiracy Theories So
Popular?
, capture your thoughts in the chart below.
Things I have learned
Things that puzzle me,
or questions I still have
What is a
conspiracy
theory?
A belief that a group of people have a
secret plot and are responsible for
something happening.
Is there a difference between a
conspiracy theory and a regular theory ?
How harmful can they really be ?
Why are
conspiracy
theories so
appealing?
Provide our brain with answers that assist
our preconceived notions and bias.
“System one thinking” vs “system two
thinking”
Is there a certain demographic of people
that are more prone to believing
conspiracies ?
Who often
benefits from
the spread of
conspiracy
theories?
How?
Media outlets, political figures,
conners/scammers, government
Interesting how as a whole theories do
not benefit society yet they do benefit
so many smaller groups within society.
What are
some
strategies for
not falling for
conspiracy
theories?
Stop and think about what you’re seeing
Ask yourself questions
If conspiracy theories supposedly lack
proof and information how difficult
would it be to “fact check” for accuracy.
Part 2: Encountering Conspiracy Theories
After watching the video, reflect on your own experiences online and share your
perspective on the following questions:
commonsense.org/education
Shareable with attribution for noncommercial use. Remixing is permitted.
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