Renee HobbsProfessor of Communication StudiesDirector, Media Education LabUniversity of Rhode Island USATwitter: @reneehobbs

A Workshop:

Critically Analyzing Conspiracy Theories

Maria-Ward-Schule

Mainz, GERMANY

November 20, 2017

Can learning about conspiracy theories advance the media literacy competencies of adolescents?

www.mindovermedia.tv

LOVE HATE

CONSPIRACY THEORIESWe love them and we hate them

JFK BirtherChemtrails FlourideMary Magdalene IlluminatiCIA Experiments Tuskegee Elvis EbolaVaccines Global Warming

Which Ones Are You Familiar With?

7% of Americans believe the moon landings were faked

15% believe that the media or government adds mind control technology to TV broadcast signals

42% of Republicans and 14% of Democrats believe that President Obama was not born in the United States--Economist survey, December 2016

Conspiracy theory: a type of belief in which the ultimate cause of an event is believed to be due to a plot by multiple actors working together with a clear goal in mind, often unlawfully and in secret

Conspiracy Theories as Propaganda

https://flipgrid.com/7e010f

Time for Reflection

• What did you learn?

• What do you want to learn more about?

• What questions do you have?

TERMS FOR UNDERSTANDING CONSPIRACY THEORIES

disillusionmentanxietyhoaxparanoia

ambiguityopen-mindednessclosurecynicism

Government commission concludes: Peace is not in the interest of a stable society.

Even if lasting peace "could be achieved, it would almost certainly not be in the best interests of society to achieve it.”

Becomes a best selling book, translated into 15 languages

1972: Leonard Lewinadmits he is the author & explains its purpose as dark political satire

1990:Liberty Lobby publishes the report as a public domain document

Right-wing websites re-distribute it online

Conspiracy Theories are Resilient

THINKING FAST AND SLOW

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking Fast and Slow. NY: Farrar Straus & Giroux

SYSTEM 1

SYSTEM 2

intuitiveemotionalimmediatecreative

logicallinearanalyticaldetail-oriented

Media Literacy: A Pedagogy of Inquiry

Should you discuss conspiracy theories in the classroom?

Why or why not?

TIME TO REFLECT

Critical Thinking Diminishes the Power of Conspiracy Theories

Swami, V. et al. (2013). Analytical thinking reduces belief in conspiracy theories. Cognition 133(3), 572 – 585.

Familiarity Equals Believability

THE POWER OF A SINGLE EXPOSURE

Participants who were exposed to a conspiracy video were significantly less likely to :• think that there is widespread scientific agreement on

human-caused climate change• sign a petition to help reduce global warming • donate or volunteer for a charity in the next six months.

--Daniel Jolley and Karen Douglas, 2013

Media literacy educators can explore conspiracy theories to strengthen

critical thinking skills

Understand differences in the quality of information sources

Distinguish between anecdote and authoritative evidence Recognize how disinformation and propaganda uses

mystery to capture our imagination Apply critical questions to analyze YouTube video Appreciate the importance of source verification of online

information Participate in online dialogue by composing responses that

demonstrate independent thinking and respect for others’ views

Screening conspiracy theory videos in the classroom risks validating them

There may not be enough time in class to examine evidence in depth

There’s too much junk information online on these topics

It’s too easy to trivialize conspiracy theories, reinforcing “us” and “them” thinking

re

Conspiracy theories are alarm systems that help people deal with threat. They resonate most among groups suffering from loss, weakness, or disunity.

--Uscinski & Parent, 2014

Responding Critically & Sympathetically

Conspiracy theories are resilient: they cannot be easily disproved

They resonate in an age of anxiety by offering simple explanations for complex and ambiguous realities

Although even brief exposures to conspiracy theories increases their believability, analytical thinking can lower belief in conspiracy theories

Video annotation tools “slow down” people’s response to video and promotes analytic & reflective thinking

Teachers must wrestle with important paradoxes when deciding whether, when & how to teach about conspiracy theories

Renee HobbsProfessor of Communication StudiesDirector, Media Education LabUniversity of Rhode Island USATwitter: @reneehobbs

SEPT/OCT 2017Knowledge Quest

A publication of the American Association for School Librarians (AASL)

www.mediaeducationlab.com