One study found that half of all Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory.
What Is a Conspiracy Theory?
Once these beliefs take root,cognitive biasesand mental shortcuts reinforce and strengthen them.
The world can often seem confusing, dangerous, and chaotic.
Doing so helps them build up a consistent, stable, and clear understanding of how the world works.
Conspiracy theories offer explanations that provide this connection.
They also suggest that the underlying causes are hidden from public view.
There is also a connection between conspiracy beliefs and educational levels.
Lower educational status tends to be associated with higher levels of conspiracy belief.
Having lower analytical abilities and less tolerance for uncertainty also play a role.
As a result, people turn to conspiracy theories to provide explanations for events that seem confusing or frightening.
Theconfirmation biascan also play a role in the development of conspiracy belief.
People are naturally inclined to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs.
When people feel threatened in some way, detecting sources of danger can be a way ofcoping with anxiety.
Social Reasons
People can also be motivated to believe in conspiracy due to social reasons.
When people feel disadvantaged, they are motivated to find ways to boost their own self-perceptions.
The belief in conspiracies is also rooted in what is referred to as collectivenarcissism.
This is the belief that your own social group is better, yet less appreciated, by other people.
The way in which people encounter and share these ideas should also be noted.
Its easy to dismiss a story shared by a random source that you dont trust.
Sharing these kinds of stories within our networks gives social credence to such conspiratorial thinking.
Believing in conspiracy theories erodes peoples trust in their government, their leaders, and their institutions.
It also diminishes trust in science and research itself.
This distrust may discourage people from participating in their social worlds.
It might also cause people to stop seeing themselves as valuable contributors to society.
Failing to address dangerous misbeliefs presents a potential danger to public health and even the political process itself.
Some things to remember when trying to change someone’s mind about a conspiracy theory.
Those trying to debunk the mistaken beliefs are then viewed as simply being actors in the conspiracy itself.
Researchers have found one tactic, however, that is effective encouraging believers to pursue their goals.
People tend to take one of two approaches in the pursuit of goals.
So what does this have to do with conspiracy beliefs?
Researchers found that promotion-focused people were more skeptical and less likely to buy into conspiracies.
In practical terms, promoting messages that help people feel more in control can minimize conspiratorial thinking.
This simple activity encourages people to take a more promotion-focused mindset and reduces conspiracy belief.
A Word From Verywell
Conspiratorial thinking can be problematic and dangerous (Pizzagate, anyone?
This means discouraging this key in of thinking is not always easy.
- doi:10.1111/ajps.12084
Van prooijen JW, Van vugt M.Conspiracy theories: evolved functions and psychological mechanisms.Perspect Psychol Sci.
2018;13(6):770-788. doi:10.1177/1745691618774270
Jenson T.Trump remains unpopular; voters prefer Obama on SCOTUS pick.
Statistica Research Department.Beliefs and conspiracy theories in the U.S.-Statistics and facts.
Oliver JE, Wood TJ.Conspiracy theories and the paranoid style(s) of mass opinion.Am J Pol Sci.
2018; 45(1): 3-15. doi: 10.1177/0146167218775070.
Grzesiak-Feldman M.The effect of high-anxiety situations on conspiracy thinking.
Current Psychology, 2013; 32: 100118. doi:10.1007/s12144-013-9165-6.
