There are a lot of conspiracy theories on the internet, from the idea that the moon landings were faked to the belief that Earth is flat. The believers will often dismiss any and all evidence that supports the claims, and suggest that witnesses or experts who disagree are part of the conspiracy.
People want to understand the world around them and they don't like being unable to do so. The easiest and most efficient response to an unanswerable question was to credit a higher power. Science is now able to answer many of the questions that once stumped us, and while we don't always have the answers, we have the capacity to accurately explain and comprehend all manner of phenomena.
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories when there is a lot of evidence that they are wrong? Why are there so many conspiracy theories in this day and age?
There are 13 conspiracy theories.
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According to Karen Douglas, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, a conspiracy theory is a belief that two or more actors have coordinated in secret to achieve an outcome.
Hugo Drochon is a professor of political theory at the University ofNottingham in the United Kingdom.
There is a belief that there is a group of people who control everything in the world. Drochon told Live Science that conspiracy theorists believe that climate change is a hoax.
How do such theories grow? A group of people are adamant that they are being lied to and that they are being misled by a group of people.
Daniel Jolley told Live Science that conspiracy theories start with us trying to understand complex events. Simple solutions to complicated problems are offered by piracy theories.
When people need answers in times of stress, such notions flourish.
She said that conspiracy theories tend to emerge when important things happen. They tend to emerge in times of crisis when people are concerned. They thrive in uncertain times.
Douglas said that it is difficult to argue that all conspiracy theories are malicious, and that more often than not people want to make sense of difficult situations.
Jolley explained that a number of elements are needed to make a theory spread.
Conspiracy theories require some unique ingredients to achieve popularity and longevity. The event needs to be significant, the conspirators need to be realistic, and the ground needs to be fertile.
Jolley said to take COVID-19 as an example. People are trying to understand what happened. The ground was fertile because of COVID. Conspiracy theories flourished as a result of these aspects.
The conspiracy theories about 5G's supposedly detrimental impact on human health have existed for a while, but in 2020 they became a mainstream belief. This is a perfect example of a conspiracy theory being able to flourish when people feel vulnerable and are willing to believe it.
The New York Times reported in April 2020 that "baseless" theories about 5G and COVID resulted in more than 100 incidents in the U.K.
No one can be expected to take everything they read or hear at face value, so what distinguishes a conspiracy theorist from a person who is just skeptical?
If we feel vulnerable, we can be a bit paranoid. It is part of human nature. No amount of new information will change the core belief of conspiracy theorists. Have you ever tried to convince a conspiracy theorist that 9/11 wasn't a real event?
People fall for certain conspiracy theories. Even in the face of conflicting evidence, what is the appeal of believing in something that is crazy?
"We want to feel in control, feel certain, and feel close to those like us, and a conspiracy theory can allow this," Jolley said.
A majority of people consider themselves to be above average in intelligence, something researchers attribute to people's overrate of cognitive abilities. Jolley suggested that this lack of self-awareness, as well as confirmation bias and exposure to echo chambers, could be factors.
Jolley said that people are keen to defend their beliefs. They're likely to digest content that supports that belief and try to get rid of information that isn't supportive. You can see how someone can end up down the rabbit hole with a worldview centered on distrust.
Some people are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than others. Are we all at risk of supporting outrageous hypotheses?
Some people are more susceptible to conspiracy theories than others. He said that it was about a feeling of exclusion, not having a job or being single.
Drochon said that religious people are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories because they use a Manichean view of the world. If you're highly religious in a secularized world, you're more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, but if you're not, you'll be vulnerable.
If the conditions are right, we all have the ability to fall into a conspiracy.
According to research, people are attracted to conspiracy theories when they are not happy. Epistem is related to the need to know the truth and have certainty. The other needs are related to the need to feel safe and to have some control over things that are happening, as well as maintaining our self-esteem and feeling positive about the groups that we belong to.
No one is immune from the lure of a conspiracy theory because of this.
Anyone can fall prey to conspiracy theories if they don't meet their psychological needs at certain times.
It was originally published on Live Science
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