Conspiracy Vocab

Basic

100

Conspiracy

What is a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful?

200

Cherry Picking

What is the action or practice of choosing and taking only the most beneficial or profitable items, opportunities, etc., from what is available?

300

Conspiracy Theory

a belief that some secret but influential organization is responsible for an event or phenomenon.

400

Moderator

Who typically volunteers with varying levels of training who review content posted in an online community for safety, privacy, and content concerns?

Amature

100

Immune to Evidence

What is re-interpreting any evidence that counters a conspiracy theory as originating from the conspiracy?

200

Skepticism

What is doubt as to the truth of something and the theory that certain knowledge is impossible?

300

Misinformation

What is the false or inaccurate information, especially that which is intended to deceive?

400

Disinformation

What is the false or inaccurate information intended to deceive?

Nerd

100

Lateral Reading

What is a method of determining credibility of online information in which you open multiple tabs to search for other information to validate the site’s claims?

200

Corroboration

What are additional sources that confirm or support the claims of a news story, article or piece of information?

300

Motivated Reasoning

What is a cognitive and social response where people's emotions and motivations shape their perception and evaluation of new information?

400

Patternicity

What is the inclination to perceive patterns and connections in unrelated events or data, even when no such patterns or connections actually exist?

Crazy Theories

100

The unsinkable ship didn't ever really sink.

What is the "Titanic never sank" conspiracy theory?

200

This country never existed.

What is the "Finland isn't real" conspiracy theory?

300

The government is hiding the fact that humans have supernatural abilities.

What is the "Humans have superpowers" conspiracy theory?

400

These creatures were thought to be mythical, but they're actually real and live in the ocean.

What is the "Mermaids are real" conspiracy theory?

The Real Ones

100

The government did this during American Prohibition to discourage people from drinking alcohol.

What is the "Alcohol poisoning" conspiracy?

200

An English Catholic plot led by Sir Francis Throckmorton to coordinate an invasion of England led by Henry I, Duke of Guise, to murder Elizabeth I and replace her with her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots. 

What is the "Throckmorton Plot (1583)?"

300

A political conspiracy in the United States to overthrow the government, also known as the Wall Street Putsch and the White House Putsch.

What is "The Business Plot (1933)?"

400

This US government agency was responsible for the assassinations of Mossadegh in Iran, Allende in Chile, as well as other leaders and revolutionaries in Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Asia. They made their assassinations appear like car accidents, suicides, cancers, and heart attacks. When their declassified “Heart Attack Gun” wasn’t necessary, they would just shoot their targets with actual bullets.

What is the "CIA Assassinations" (1975) theory?