May 2024
The
Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
Dr. Gilbert will discuss how the tools of modern psychology can be used to explore the prevalence, motivations, and content of historical and contemporary conspiracy theories. This will include conspiracy theories concerning such things as Lincoln's assassination, chemtrails, the destruction of the battleship Maine, election fraud, and space lasers from orbit. Concepts such as existential, epistemic and socio-psychological motivations will be defined and applied to various theories, providing the audience with the tools to do their own analyses. Finally, audience members will be invited to create and evaluate their own conspiracy theories.
NCAS
Public Lecture Series
The
Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
Zelda Gilbert,
PhD
Professor Emerita of Psychology, Woodbury University
Saturday, May 4, 1:30pm US/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
Central Library
Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium
1015 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA [map] [directions]
(Virginia Square-GMU Metro station)
FREE admission – Everyone welcome, members and non-members
Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium
1015 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA [map] [directions]
(Virginia Square-GMU Metro station)
FREE admission – Everyone welcome, members and non-members
Also a YouTube Live
Event with Q and A
NCASVideo YouTube Channel:
Dr. Gilbert will discuss how the tools of modern psychology can be used to explore the prevalence, motivations, and content of historical and contemporary conspiracy theories. This will include conspiracy theories concerning such things as Lincoln's assassination, chemtrails, the destruction of the battleship Maine, election fraud, and space lasers from orbit. Concepts such as existential, epistemic and socio-psychological motivations will be defined and applied to various theories, providing the audience with the tools to do their own analyses. Finally, audience members will be invited to create and evaluate their own conspiracy theories.
Zelda Gilbert is
a retired professor of psychology with over 40 years
experience in higher education. She currently lectures on
political psychology, conspiracy theories, and other
topics, mostly for the continuing education Silver Frogs
program at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. She
completed a doctorate in counseling psychology at the
University of Kentucky and studied political psychology at
UCLA.
Refreshments will be
available.
https://www.ncas.org/2024/04/the-psychology-of-conspiracy-theories.html
May Bay Area Skeptics Lecture
Another Video from CSICon 2023
Eldritch Investigations and a Discount for NCAS
For the discount, use code NCAS when subscribing here:
https://rorschachtheatre.com/23-24-psychogeographies-project/
Sounds a bit like an expanded version of our NCAS Skeptours!
"Cults and cryptids
collide when a curious Washingtonian investigates
local unexplained phenomena. Explore the lure of
the unknown and its entanglement with DC history in
this multi-chapter adventure across the city."
At the start of the pandemic, the local Rorschach Theatre company created a unique theatrical experience that extended over the course of 9-10 months. It was originally a way for the show to go on when the pandemic shut down stage performances, but it has been so successful that they've continued into their 4th year with an all-new story in December 2023.
Rorschach often incorporates elements of fantasy, horror, and/or supernatural. This season, the Eldritch Investigations project involves themes particularly close to NCAS. The company has extended a 20% discount to NCAS members.
Subscribers receive a monthly box or envelope with maps, directions to locales around DC, and other artifacts such as postcards, telegrams, and various trinkets that help unfold a story over the course of 9-10 months. You investigate these locations at your own pace, on your own time. They also provide online videos for those who can't visit in person.
At the start of the pandemic, the local Rorschach Theatre company created a unique theatrical experience that extended over the course of 9-10 months. It was originally a way for the show to go on when the pandemic shut down stage performances, but it has been so successful that they've continued into their 4th year with an all-new story in December 2023.
Rorschach often incorporates elements of fantasy, horror, and/or supernatural. This season, the Eldritch Investigations project involves themes particularly close to NCAS. The company has extended a 20% discount to NCAS members.
Subscribers receive a monthly box or envelope with maps, directions to locales around DC, and other artifacts such as postcards, telegrams, and various trinkets that help unfold a story over the course of 9-10 months. You investigate these locations at your own pace, on your own time. They also provide online videos for those who can't visit in person.
The adventure has
already begun, so new subscribers will receive all
previous chapters in the first shipment.
For the discount, use code NCAS when subscribing here:
https://rorschachtheatre.com/23-24-psychogeographies-project/
Sounds a bit like an expanded version of our NCAS Skeptours!
The [San Francisco] Bay Area Skeptics will
host their next online event on Thursday, May 9 at
10 PM ET. William & Susan Trollinger,
authors of Righting America at the Creation
Museum (Johns Hopkins University Press,
2016) will provide an update on the activities of
the creationist organization "Answers in
Genesis." This will be livestreamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX70mz0Wd-4
Center for Inquiry
has recently posted "A Life Preserver for Staying
afloat in a Sea of Misinformation" by Melanie Trecek-King, an
associate professor of biology at Massasoit
Community College, where she teaches a
general-education science course designed to equip
students with empowering critical thinking,
information literacy, and science literacy skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkGsxtbetts
NCAS Board Elections:
Electronic Voting
The upcoming 2024 NCAS election will use electronic voting. When voting begins, each member will receive an email from NCAS (via surveymonkey.com) containing a unique web address usable as a single-cast secret ballot. (NCAS will receive information indicating who voted, but nothing to indicate who cast each ballot.)
Note that voters will not be at risk for spamming as a result of participating...SurveyMonkey has a zero-tolerance spam policy:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/acceptable-uses-policy/
The upcoming 2024 NCAS election will use electronic voting. When voting begins, each member will receive an email from NCAS (via surveymonkey.com) containing a unique web address usable as a single-cast secret ballot. (NCAS will receive information indicating who voted, but nothing to indicate who cast each ballot.)
Note that voters will not be at risk for spamming as a result of participating...SurveyMonkey has a zero-tolerance spam policy:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/acceptable-uses-policy/
NCAS Membership
At its September 20, 2023 meeting, the NCAS Board of
Directors approved a change in membership classifications,
effective October 1. Formerly in two classifications,
Single and Double, membership now comprises one or two
individuals at the same home address. In addition to
simplifying transactions for the NCAS treasurer, this
represents a per-person reduction in membership costs.
The former Single membership cost now covers up to two
people. Consider adding a 2nd person in your household to
your NCAS membership at no extra cost! Both will be able
to vote separately in the annual NCAS board of directors
election. Send an email to ncas@ncas.org
to add a 2nd person to your membership. We hope to add
members, and of course a student or other young person is
always welcome for the future of skepticism. Also see https://www.ncas.org/p/join-ncas.html.
Some members and contacts
of NCAS receive a postal notification of this and every new
monthly Shadow of a Doubt. The Shadow Light
postcard announces the monthly lecture and highlights of the
electronic Shadow of a Doubt, which is available
online at ncas.org/p/shadow.html. NCAS
thereby reduces Shadow production and postage costs.
To further reduce costs, members and contacts can opt out of
postal notification altogether, while continuing to receive Shadow
of a Doubt via e-mail. To opt out, send us an e-mail at
ncas@ncas.org.
Time to Renew?
Be sure to check your renewal date above your postal address on the Shadow Light postcard. Send any queries to ncas@ncas.org. Use the online membership form to renew.
https://www.ncas.org/p/shadow.html
Time to Renew?
Be sure to check your renewal date above your postal address on the Shadow Light postcard. Send any queries to ncas@ncas.org. Use the online membership form to renew.
https://www.ncas.org/p/shadow.html
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