WHY DO PEOPLE BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES?

Thu 15 February 2024:

What constitutes a conspiracy theory?

A conspiracy theory is an unreasonable belief or explanation that claims certain occurrences or situations are the product of a covert, frequently evil, and often complicated plot by a group of people or organizations.

These theories often argue that powerful individuals or groups are manipulating events behind the scenes to their advantage, frequently in ways that contradict the official or popularly accepted explanation.

Why do some people believe in conspiracy theories? Scientific explanation

A recent study provides a comprehensive overview of motivations and personality traits related to conspiratorial thinking.

The most popular traits among the conspiracy theorists were, to start with, the tendency to perceive threat and danger. These people are also likely to rely on intuition. They often have odd beliefs and experiences. Moreover, they need to feel their community is superior to others.

People who believe in conspiracy theories feel a sense of antagonism toward others and high levels of paranoia. They are also likely to be emotionally volatile, impulsive, manipulative, and egocentric

As you can see, these people aren’t simple-minded or uneducated. The motivation for believing in conspiracy theories is the need to understand and feel safe in their environment. These theories fulfill their motivational needs and help people make sense of their distress.

The personality traits also depend on the type of conspiracy theories people believe. Some people are falsely convinced that the American government planned the September 11 terrorist attacks. Such events-based conspiracy theories are motivated by social relationships.

In contrast, general theories about how the world works, such as that governments plan to harm their citizens to retain power, are linked to a desire to feel unique.

How do you recognize a conspiracy theory?

Not all conspiracy theories are easy to recognize. They, however, share some common characteristics that make these theories stand out and be identified. The main shared characteristics of conspiracy theories are:

1. Secrecy: Conspiracy theories often involve alleged hidden or undisclosed information, with the idea that a select group of people is intentionally concealing the truth from the public.

2. Complexity: Many conspiracy theories involve intricate and convoluted plots, often connecting seemingly unrelated events or individuals. The complexity can make these theories difficult to verify or disprove, but at the same time, such intricacy can become a starting point needed to identify false claims.

3. Lack of Evidence: These theories often lack credible evidence to support their claims. Instead, they may rely on anecdotal evidence, speculation, or misinterpretation of facts.

4. Distrust of Authorities: They frequently arise from a general distrust of official explanations or institutions. Believers often view governments, media, or other authoritative sources as untrustworthy or intentionally misleading.

5. Alternative Explanations: Conspiracy theories provide alternative explanations for events, often challenging mainstream narratives. They often offer a sense of empowerment to individuals who feel marginalized or disenfranchised.

6. Resistance to Contradictory Evidence: People who subscribe to conspiracy theories and support them may be resistant to accepting evidence that contradicts their beliefs. This is sometimes referred to as “conspiratorial closed-mindedness.”

7. Spread of Misinformation: Some conspiracy theories have elements of truth or highlight legitimate concerns. However, these bits of true information are often used to conceal largely false information that constitutes the foundation of a conspiracy theory.

Final word

Conspiracy theories are a complex phenomenon. More research is needed to properly comprehend the conspiratorial mentality and determine the best approaches to counter the misinformation.

The original article was published in Technology.Org

______________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22