Conspiracy theories

This is one of many events surrounded by conspiracy theories.

Around what proportion of the US population believes that the assassination of President John F Kennedy was not the result of a lone gunman?

a gullible person is easily persuaded to believe something

susceptible likely to be influenced by

Did they find anything odd or suspicious?

cover-up attempt to prevent the public from discovering information about something important

trait quality

off the beaten track unusual; not done by many other people

unsubstantiated not supported by evidence

Some of them seem substantiated by evidence, while others were not.

Apparently, in the 1960s television footage of the moon landing, the American flag is fluttering – and there's no air on the moon so the US government must've faked it!

I didn't realize you were so gullible Rob – and that means easily persuaded to believe something.

There are quite a few personality dimensions that seem to be related to belief in conspiracy theories and not surprisingly paranoia is one of them

people who are willing to entertain ideas that are kind of off the beaten track.

people who are willing to entertain ideas that are kind of off the beaten track.

So he says that paranoia is a personality trait – or quality – that leads some people to believe in conspiracy theories.

But more serious examples are parents choosing not to vaccinate their children against diseases because of unsubstantiated ideas that they are harmful – 'unsubstantiated' means 'not supported by evidence'.

But they might have a point