Official Government Story Acceptance Scale

Are Skeptics better Critical Thinkers?
Survey of opinions on various events and official government accounts

Questions to be resolved:

What is a "Truther"?  (one would think that this is a name to be proud of)

Can this attitude be measured with a test instrument?

Does being a Truther correlate with Critical Thinking and/or Open Mindedness and/or EEG Coherence?

Does being a Truther correlate with IQ?  Mensans seem more open to 9/11 Truth than many self-called "skeptics".

The hypothesis to be tested is whether "truthers/conspiracy theorists" score significantly higher on tests of critical thinking, and open-mindedness, than those who tend to accept the official Government and main stream media explanations.

Similar to the Rokeach Adult Dogmatism Scale (RADS) developed by Dr. Milton Rokeach at the University of Michigan

To prevent the RADS from becoming too widely known on the web, spoiling potential test subjects, I put them on this unlinked page
www.CICorp.com/tm/research/RokeachScale    password:  (email to rick@cicorp.com)

The OGSAS is similar to the RADS. I am also looking at alternative test instruments for open-mindedness, as the RADS elicited some negative comments from the test subjects in my 1981 study.

There is another acronym OGSAS, the Office of Graduate Student Academic Services, which should not be confused with this test instrument.

Here is another Statist Scale, under development, based on questions by political activist and author Adam Kokesh.

Likert Scale - the test subject is asked to agree or disagree with a series of statements.

OGSAS
(under development)

Self Assessment

0 I am able to distinguish facts from fiction in the media Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree

Statements

1 The official government accounts are usually accurate and trustworthy Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
2 The Viet Nam War was justified by the Gulf of Tonkin incident Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
3 Lee Harvey Oswald planned the killing of John F. Kennedy as a lone gunman. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
4 Surhan Surhan planned the killing of Robert Kennedy as a lone gunman. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
5 James Earl Ray planned the killing of Martin Luther King as a lone gunman. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
6 9/11 was organized by Osama Bin Laden and 19 hijackers. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
7 The 7/7/2005 bombing in London was organized by 4 Muslim terrorists. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
8 Bin Laden's body was dumped into the ocean after being raided by SEALs. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
9 James Holmes planned the Batman movie theater killing as a lone gunman. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
10 President Obama's long form birth certificate is authentic. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
11 Americans should not have guns, to promote our public safety Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
12 We can generally can count on the police to protect us from crime. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
13 The Federal Reserve System is helpful to stabilize the economy Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
14 The Wall Street bail outs of 2008 were beneficial to the general citizenry Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
15 Disallowing citizens to own guns will help prevent mass shootings Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
16 The government makes sure genetically modified foods are safe to eat Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
17 The official government accounts are often a cover up, and untrue Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
18 The Gulf of Tonkin incident in Viet Nam War was a false attack Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
19 John F. Kennedy was killed by at least two gunmen, organized by his political enemies Strongly Agree  Agree   Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
20 More than one shooter, not just Surhan Surhan killed Robert Kennedy Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
21 More than one shooter, not just James Earl Ray  killed Martin Luther King Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
22 9/11 was organized by war beneficiaries within the military industrial complex Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
23 The 7/7/2005 bombing in London were organized to gain support for the war in Iraq. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
24 Bin Laden died in December 2001, and the SEALS killed a decoy double in 2011 Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
25 NASA could have brought Moon rocks to Earth by a remote controlled lander. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
26 President Obama's long form birth certificate shows signs of forgery. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
27 Americans should have guns as a deterrent to crime, for public safety Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
28 We can not generally count on the police to protect us from crime. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
29 The Federal Reserve System is a banking cartel, sapping value from the US Dollar Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
30 The Wall Street bail outs of 2008 were not beneficial to the general citizenry Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
31 Allowing citizens to own guns will help prevent mass shootings Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
32 The negative effects of genetically modified food may not be seen for generations Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
33 Over 20 children and teachers died at the Sandy Hook shooting Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
34 Sandy Hook was a hoax, with information about the kids classified, for gun restrictions. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
35 Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
36 Nixon's NASA landed 6 men on the Moon from July 20, 1969 to 1972. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
37 We can trust the President of the United States to tell us the truth. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
38 James Holmes was under the influence of drugs at the Batman movie theater killing. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
39 Saddam Hussein had no Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
40 We can not trust the President of our country to tell us the truth. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
41 Russians were the main reason Donald Trump was elected President Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree
42 Bitcoin is created out of thin air, and will not be valuable long term. Strongly Agree  Agree  Neutral  Disagree  Strongly Disagree

 

Description and reasoning behind the questions (for test administrators and analysts only):

Do you agree or disagree that... Conversely (to test for internal consistency):
1. The official government accounts are usually accurate and trustworthy
2. The Viet Nam War was justified by the Gulf of Tonkin incident
3. Lee Harvey Oswald planned the killing of John F. Kennedy as a lone gunman.
4. Surhan Surhan planned the killing of Robert Kennedy as a lone gunman.
5. James Earl Ray planned the killing of Martin Luther King as a lone gunman.
6. 9/11 was organized by Osama Bin Laden and 19 hijackers.
7. The 7/7/2005 bombing in London was organized by 4 Muslim terrorists.
8. Bin Laden's body was dumped into the ocean after being raided by SEALs.
9. James Holmes planned the Batman movie theater killing as a lone gunman.
10. President Obama's long form birth certificate is authentic.
11. Americans should not have guns, to promote our public safety
12. We can generally count on the police to protect us from crime.
13. The Federal Reserve System is helpful to stabilize the economy
14. The Wall Street bail outs of 2008 were beneficial to the general citizenry
15. Disallowing citizens to own guns will help prevent mass shootings
16. Nixon's NASA landed 6 men on the Moon from July 20, 1969 to 1972.
17. The government makes sure genetically modified foods are safe to eat
18. Over 20 children and teachers died at the Sandy Hook shooting
19. Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq.
20. We can trust the President of the United States to tell us the truth.
21. Russians were the main reason Donald Trump was elected President
22. Bitcoin is created out of thin air, and will not be valuable long term.		 1. The official government accounts are often a cover up, and untrue
2. The Gulf of Tonkin incident in Viet Nam War was a false attack
3. John F. Kennedy was killed by at least two gunmen, organized by his political enemies
4. More than one shooter, not just Surhan Surhan killed Robert Kennedy
5. More than one shooter, not just James Earl Ray  killed Martin Luther King
6. 9/11 was organized by war beneficiaries within the military industrial complex
7. The 7/7/2005 bombings in London were organized to gain support for the war in Iraq.
8. Bin Laden died in December 2001, and the SEALS killed a decoy double in 2011
9. James Holmes was under the influence of drugs at the Batman movie theater killing.
10. President Obama's long form birth certificate shows signs of forgery.
11. Americans should have guns as a deterrent to crime, for public safety
12. We can not generally count on the police to protect us from crime.
13. The Federal Reserve System is a banking cartel, sapping value from the US Dollar
14. The Wall Street bail outs of 2008 were not beneficial to the general citizenry
15. Allowing citizens to own guns will help prevent mass shootings
16. NASA could have brought Moon rocks to Earth by a remote controlled lander.
17. The negative effects of genetically modify food may not be seen for generations
18. Sandy Hook was a hoax, with information about the kids classified, for gun restrictions.
19. Saddam Hussein had no Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq.
20. We can not trust the President of the United States to tell us the truth.