Soc 205 Small Groups (Spring '21): Conspiracism

Soc 205 small groups (Spring ‘21): Conspiracism

Guidelines: In your small groups, you should respond to the questions by using the Google document that corresponds to your group’s number. I will download that document and then upload into Canvas for grading. Make sure all present group members’ names are listed—if your names are on the document, the file with comments will be uploaded to your grade book.

1. For each group member, try to come up with one example of how you have observed at least one of the ‘rules of thumb’ (listed below) in action (you can use an example from school, your personal life, social media, etc., but flesh out the details as best you can).

2. From your readings, or the material for the week, are there any clues for explaining how so many people continue to believe false narratives about the Capitol riot on January 6?

3. If there is very little evidence to support conspiracist ideas, why do they seem to spread so widely? Which of the ‘rules of thumb’ from the video clip (from Robert Cialdini) might help explain the persuasiveness of conspiracy theories among some people? Explain your reasoning (as a group or as individuals within the group, if they differ).

4. If conspiracism becomes part of political debate and discourse (and there are multiple members in the current House of Representatives who support QAnon conspiracism), and even sparks a social movement, does that complicate the ability of decision makers and active citizens to reach consensus and compromise, in a democracy, on any manner of pervasive social problems in US society? What do Sternisko et al. have to say about this?

5. Come up with a conspiracy idea related to EOU, briefly describe it and whatever grains of truth support it, make it persuasive and easily spreadable. It should show your understanding of what makes a conspiracy theory persuasive.

Cialdini’s persuasive ‘rules of thumb’:

● Reciprocity (social obligation, personalized and unexpected) ● scarcity (people want it more) ● authority (diploma on the wall, uniforms, lab coats) ● consistency (reduces ‘cognitive dissonance’) ● liking (share similarities, complimentary, cooperative) ● consensus (‘social proof’ in numbers, what ‘similar’ others are doing)