PSY1105 Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories Assignment Sample

• Subject Code : PSY1105
• University : Macquarie University My Assignment Services is not sponsored or endorsed by this college or university.
• Subject Name : Psychology

Introduction to Psychology

Contents

Introduction.

Method.

Participants.

Material and Procedure.

Study Design.

Results.

Discussion.

References.

Introduction to Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories

A conspiracist conventional theory can be depicted as "the pointless presumption of the scheme when different clarifications are more likely" Substantial quantities of individuals embrace paranoid notions recommending that the U.S. government coordinated the 9/11 fear based oppressor assaults, that the British government is concealing its function in the 7/7 bombings and that the death of President John F. Kennedy was not crafted by Lee Harvey Oswald alone to give some examples well-known fear inspired notions. Such convictions are generally unverified and farfetched, yet are regularly viewed as innocuous. However some paranoid notions are related with negative results; conspiracist convictions about the birthplace and treatment of HIV/AIDS have been found to unfavourably influence mentalities toward protection measures and adherence to treatment programs and conspiracist fears concerning the wellbeing of youth inoculations have assumed a function in declining immunization rates (Bronstein, et, al., 2019). Other paranoid ideas can prompt social and political separation and may assist with encouraging political fanaticism. Data correspondence innovations (ICT) have filled our lives with a wide range of reports that can be effortlessly gotten to from print and advanced types of papers, magazines, communicated media (radio and TV), what's more, the Internet (Brotherton, et, al., 2013). ICT permit us to get to data considerably more quickly than at any other time; nonetheless, the greater part of these messages are condensed messages with unmistakable, new classes that may need peer survey and be hard to comprehend. Despite the substance, including science, these news reports are condemned as having predisposition, flaws, embellishments, and bogus or on the other hand powerless proof for the cases. Accordingly, it is important to be cautious, conscious, and basic perusers of these news reports to diminish the probability of being deceived or misdirected (Douglas, et. al, 2017)

Method of Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories

Participants

To invite a huge mass of psychologists and students all across the city, through an overall developing online platform for better enhancements. Social media and online blogs, surveys and seminars have been an extremely supportive source. The demographical characteristics are can be clear only when the fellow participants are active and motivated for the experiment (Lin, 2014). To experience a wide range of variety, there were participants from a different genre, varied origin, gender and race. The agenda of the recruitment was to address the audience and participants over the prolific platform. This divided them rationally and was a better method for the evaluation of statistical data and analysis of the entire study. In this study, certain parameters were considered to be mandatory. At one hand it demonstrated the psychology of the undergraduate students while also paved a path for their analytical thought process (Swami, et. al., 2014).

There were approximately a thousand and fourteen participants who varied from all age group. Altogether, participants were ranging from as low as 18 years old to as elderly as 75 years of age, the average age came to be about 31.3 years with a deviation of 13.4 years. (M = 31.3, SD = 13.4) hopping onto the gender division. There were a total of 533 participants who clarified them being male, another lot of 446 participants mentioned them being females and the rest 35 indicated themselves as others. Therefore, the total valid participants’ count happens to be 979. There was no account of monetary rewards or appreciation gifts offered for participation. Different modes like the internet video session or an online chat session were organized for the independently chosen participants for the completion of the survey (Drinkwater, et. al., 2020)

Material and Procedure

The Generic Conspirastic Beliefs theory is yet an undiscovered part of psychology that is yet to be recognized completely. However, as far as the researchers and senior psychologists have observed according to the Generic Conspirastic Beliefs theory each individual has a varied mindset with a different ideology. Every individual’s behaviour is determined by the thoughts followed by actions. The Generic Conspirastic Beliefs scale or the GCB scale is a measurement to define the individual’s analytical or the critical thinking that passes their mind while a situation. The GCB scale is a psychometrically proven and reliable tool for assessing the individual’s analytical as well critical thinking (Lantian, et. al., 2016). The GCB scale is an independently formed questionnaire that is error-free and is durable. Not only has this, but the GCB scale has not limited us theoretically or practically. Hence, it is the most valuable psychometric tool. A questionnaire of around 75 questions or items is framed to analyse the participant’s analytical thinking. The items or questions were designed such that they matched the literature and academic context of analytical thinking. Throughout the questions, a balance of generic basis was maintained. For example, if the question stated that the economic regulatory acts are in favour of lower and upper base population of the United States of America. Would you like to agree with the government? The survey-takers answered the questions based on a scale of 1-5 which significantly meant 1: extremely incorrect; 2: may be incorrect; 3: unsure; 4: may be correct; 5: surely correct.

Study Design

There were three groups formed. Each consisted of a few numbers of undergraduate students majoring in varied subjects. The humanities major students, science major students, non-science major students, and then there were a few students with none of these. Three segmental levels were science, humanities, and non-science. The distinguishing factor was the GCB score. The undergraduates pursuing science majors would have the lowest GCB score than the humanities and the non-science major students (Stojanov, et. al., 2019).

Level 1 could generate the lowest argument.

Level 2 was on a moderate scale, where it could neither generate the lowest nor the highest argument. Most of the time, there were unsure arguments made.

Level 3 could generate extreme arguments in positive aspects.

Results of Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories

As per the hypothesis, the undergraduates pursuing science majors would have the lowest mean than the humanities and the non-science major students.

Research question- is opting for either science major or non-science major making a significant difference in the analytical thought process of the individual?

The statistic demonstrated that the undergraduates with science major are on the least GCB scale. There was a major difference seen at level each level due to the distribution of the population. We can state that level of analytical thinking could be stated as level 3 (Swami, et. al., 2020).

Discussion on Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories

This investigation uncovered that there were analytical differences among Science undergraduate students and Non-Science students show and study their presentation of basic deduction abilities with regards to the statistics. Quality degree of basic considering non-science and science majors and rate and number of understudies Quality degree of basic reasoning Non-science majors. Science majors perusing science news reports of their decision. The distinctions were most observable being used of proof that upheld their contentions or disproved the contentions in the reports. Further investigation of the sort of proof (elucidating or measurable) uncovered that Science majors utilized essentially less measurable evidential remarks than did the Non-science majors.

Studying and assessing the veracity of the contentions, claims, warrants, proof, counterclaims, and replies in a science news report are essential desires for deductively proficient residents in the present world. The entirety of the understudies in this examination showed their logical education somewhat, particularly their basic reasoning capability regarding argumentation abilities when perusing self-chose, science-related news. Be that as it may, noteworthy contrasts existed in planning proof and the extent in levels of basic reasoning between the two gatherings. Additionally, a few students didn't utilize or on the other hand figure any proof to help their contentions or disprove the contentions in the news reports. This outcome appears to show that a few understudies had the frail capacity to coordinate greater contention components to make generally solid, proof-based contentions while fundamentally perusing text about socio-scientific issues. Numerous socio-scientific issues that residents must consider are made out of a coordinated blend of socio-political, financial, and socio-scientific measurements including science, innovation, society, and condition factors. Subsequently, it would be valuable for the general–liberal segment of postsecondary training to draw in an expansive scope of contention customs from expressions of the human experience, humanities, furthermore, sciences. Especially through the plan of interdisciplinary courses, educators can lead understudies to expressly rehearse argumentation and basic thinking aptitudes with regards to perusing science new (Prooijen, et. al, 2018). It will be useful for furnishing understudies with capacities to address an assortment of socio-scientific issues.

References for Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories

Bronstein, M. V., Pennycook, G., Bear, A., Rand, D. G., & Cannon, T. D. (2019). Belief in fake news is associated with delusionality, dogmatism, religious fundamentalism, and reduced analytic thinking. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 8(1), 108-117.

Brotherton, R., French, C.C., & Pickering, A.D. (2013). Measuring belief in conspiracy theories: The generic conspiracist beliefs scale. Frontiers in Psychology: Personality and Social Psychology, 4(279). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00279.

Douglas, K.M., Sutton, R. M. , Cichocka, A. (2017). The psychology of conspiracy theories. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(6), 538-542. doi:10.1177/0963721417718261.

Lin, S. (2014). Science and non-science undergraduate students’ critical thinking and argumentation performance in reading a science news report. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education ,12(5), 1023-1046. doi:10.1007/s10763-013-9451-7.

Swami, V., Voracek, M., Stieger, S., Tran, U.S., & Furnham, A. (2014). Analytic thinking reduces belief in conspiracy theories. Cognition, 133(3),572-585. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2014.08.006.

Drinkwater, K. G., Dagnall, N., Denovan, A., & Neave, N. (2020). Psychometric assessment of the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale. Plos one, 15(3), e0230365.

Lantian, A., Muller, D., Nurra, C., & Douglas, K. M. (2016). Measuring belief in conspiracy theories: Validation of a French and English single-item scale. International Review of Social Psychology, 29(1), 1-14.

Stojanov, A., & Halberstadt, J. (2019). The Conspiracy Mentality Scale. Social Psychology.

Swami, V., & Barron, D. (2020). Analytic thinking, rejection of coronavirus (COVID-19) conspiracy theories, and compliance with mandated social-distancing: Direct and indirect relationships in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United Kingdom.

van Prooijen, J. W., & Van Vugt, M. (2018). Conspiracy theories: Evolved functions and psychological mechanisms. Perspectives on psychological science, 13(6), 770-788.

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