Beyond “monologicality”? Exploring conspiracist worldviews

Conspiracy theories (CTs) are widespread ways by which people make sense of unsettling or disturbing cultural events. Belief in CTs is often connected to problematic consequences, such as decreased engagement with conventional political action or even political extremism, so understanding the psychological and social qualities of CT belief is important. CTs have often been understood to be “monological,” displaying the tendency for belief in one conspiracy theory to be correlated with belief in (many) others. Explanations of monologicality invoke a nomothetical or “closed” mindset whereby mutually supporting beliefs based on mistrust of official explanations are used to interpret public events as conspiracies, independent of the facts about those events (which they may ignore or deny). But research on monologicality offers little discussion of the content of monological beliefs and reasoning from the standpoint of the CT believers. This is due in part to the “access problem”: CT believers are averse to being researched because they often distrust researchers and what they appear to represent. Using several strategies to address the access problem we were able to engage CT believers in semi-structured interviews, combining their results with analysis of media documents and field observations to reconstruct a conspiracy worldview – a set of symbolic resources drawn on by CT believers about important dimensions of ontology, epistemology, and human agency. The worldview is structured around six main dimensions: the nature of reality, the self, the outgroup, the ingroup, relevant social and political action, and possible future change. We also describe an ascending typology of five types of CT believers, which vary according to their positions on each of these dimensions. Our findings converge with prior explorations of CT beliefs but also revealed novel aspects: A sense of community among CT believers, a highly differentiated representation of the outgroup, a personal journey of conversion, variegated kinds of political action, and optimistic belief in future change. These findings are at odds with the typical image of monological CT believers as paranoid, cynical, anomic and irrational. For many, the CT worldview may rather constitute the ideological underpinning of a nascent pre-figurative social movement

Block-Based Discrete Wavelet Transform-Singular Value Decomposition Image Watermarking Scheme Using Human Visual System Characteristics

Digital watermarking has been suggested as a way to achieve digital protection. The aim of digital watermarking is to insert the secret data into the image without significantly affecting the visual quality. This study presents a robust block-based image watermarking scheme based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) and human visual system in the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) domain. The proposed method is considered to be a block-based scheme that utilises the entropy and edge entropy as HVS characteristics for the selection of significant blocks to embed the watermark, which is a binary watermark logo. The blocks of the lowest entropy values and edge entropy values are selected as the best regions to insert the watermark. After the first level of DWT decomposition, the SVD is performed on the low-low sub-band to modify several elements in its U matrix according to predefined conditions. The experimental results of the proposed scheme showed high imperceptibility and high robustness against all image processing attacks and several geometrical attacks using examples of standard and real images. Furthermore, the proposed scheme outperformed several previous schemes in terms of imperceptibility and robustness. The security issue is improved by encrypting a portion of the important information using Advanced Standard Encryption a key size of 192-bits (AES-192)

Conspiracy theory and cognitive style: a worldview.

This paper assessed whether belief in conspiracy theories was associated with a particularly cognitive style (worldview). The sample comprised 223 volunteers recruited via convenience sampling and included undergraduates, postgraduates, university employees, and alumni. Respondents completed measures assessing a range of cognitive-perceptual factors (schizotypy, delusional ideation, and hallucination proneness) and conspiratorial beliefs (general attitudes toward conspiracist thinking and endorsement of individual conspiracies). Positive symptoms of schizotypy, particularly the cognitive-perceptual factor, correlated positively with conspiracist beliefs. The best predictor of belief in conspiracies was delusional ideation. Consistent with the notion of a coherent conspiratorial mindset, scores across conspiracy measures correlated strongly. Whilst findings supported the view that belief in conspiracies, within the sub-clinical population, was associated with a delusional thinking style, cognitive-perceptual factors in combination accounted for only 32% of the variance

Psychosynthesis: A Foundational Bridge Between Psychology and Spirituality

Pastoral psychologists have long tried to establish a working model that encompasses the seemingly conflicting disciplines of science and religion. Psychosynthesis, a transpersonal psychology and therapeutic approach, offers such a model of the human personality, in which the psychological and spiritual perspectives can converge. This article explores psychosynthesis psychology and therapy as a theoretical framework for pastoral psychology. Although psychosynthesis psychotherapy relies on an array of techniques, it fundamentally works with the clients’ will while emphasizing, exploring, and cultivating their relationships on all levels—intrapersonal, interpersonal, and with the Higher Self. In addition to the subconscious, psychosynthesis includes a higher psychological plane, called the superconscious, from which our higher ethical, aesthetic, scientific, and spiritual values are derived. This article begins by introducing psychosynthesis concepts and techniques. It then provides qualitative findings showing that psychosynthesis counseling helped to awaken spirituality in three out of eleven clients who had formerly identified themselves as atheists. In addition, testimonies are included that show that psychosynthesis counseling also helped all eleven clients to attain personal growth. Finally, the counselor describes her experience of psychosynthesis as a Christian in the therapeutic setting. The framework of psychosynthesis psychology and its techniques are viable methodologies for anyone searching to incorporate spiritual growth into a psychological working mode

Why And How Hfe Professionals Can Better Use Theory (Metatheory Included; Some Assembly Required)

The relationship between theory and discipline is problematic for human factors and ergonomics (HFE). We address the following constituent issues: (a) the present state of theory usage in HFE; (b) the reasons underlying this state; (c) the need for theory in HFE; (d) what HFE professionals (including educators, journal editors, and individual researchers) should do to encourage the proper use of theory; and, (e) the outlines of a metatheory of HFE. A metatheory is a general framework that may help professionals to construct more useful specific theories. Our metatheory of HFE involves five basic units, or classes of variables: task, environment, personnel, tool, and performance. Each unit in turn has multiple components (i.e., specific variables). Use of the metatheory is illustrated with specific examples. Our hope is that researchers will be motivated to make explicit and useful connections between their research and necessary theory, to the improvement of both; the metatheory may be useful in this endeavor

Detection of Terrorist Preparations by an Artificial Intelligence Expert System Employing Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory SUMMARY

Terrorist actions are often preceded by preparatory activities that are at least slightly anomalous compared to the activities of the general population (such as unusual purchasing patterns). Analysis of patterns of such anomalies will detect potential preparations for terrorist activity. However, each such anomaly is what is known technically as a “fuzzy signal”: each anomaly taken individually might indicate terrorist preparations, but usually does not. This paper describes the hypothetical computer system FUSEDOT (FUzzy Signal Expert system for the Detection Of Terrorism preparations). As the name suggests, FUSEDOT applies artificial intelligence expert system technology to the fuzzy signals presented by certain anomalous data, such as interpersonal relationships, financial relationships, travel patterns, purchasing patterns, patterns of Internet usage, and personal background. The components of the system—data acquisition, data processing, report generation, and feedback and further system development—are described in outline. System limitations are described. FUSEDOT is compared with other systems for the analysis of massive amounts of data to detect terrorism, specifically the Novel Intelligence from Massive Data program, and the Terrorist Information Awareness program. In comparison with these programs, FUSEDOT will implement some superior technology, will be easier to develop, and poses fewer privacy concerns. NATO member nations would do well to consider the development of FUSEDOT, which can be a valuable asset in the defence against terrorism