Avoiding the Rabbit Hole - How to Recognize and Understand Conspiratorial Thinking

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by News Literacy Project.
The webinar recording can be accessed here.

Conspiracy theories are rampant on social media, particularly related to hyperpartisan political beliefs as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. More importantly, though, the thought processes, cognitive dissonance and biases that lead to beliefs in conspiracy theories are even more common. Most of us engage in some form of conspiratorial thinking regularly, yet somehow don’t fall victim to belief in one or more conspiracy theories. What’s different about people who do?

This edWeb podcast explores the psychological and cognitive factors behind conspiratorial thinking, including the role of fears and anxiety, cognitive dissonance and biases, motivated reasoning and institutional cynicism. The presenters discuss the ways conspiracy theories exploit emotions as well as how they fill emotional needs. As part of this session, the presenters also provide instructional resources for integrating these concepts into your curriculum, including our new, interactive lesson which is part of the Checkology virtual classroom.

This edWeb podcast is of interest to teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders of the middle school through higher education levels.

News Literacy Project
A nonpartisan national education nonprofit.

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