A new paper by Robert Gonzalez of the University of Kent suggests that people can be prone to believe in conspiracy theories due to a combination of personality traits and motivations, including relying on intuition and feeling a sense of antagonism and superiority. Belief in conspiracy theories can satisfy important psychological needs for some people, but understanding this first is crucial before confronting a believer with facts. The psychological (dark triad, propensity to share false information online) and non-partisan/ideological political (populism, Manicheanism) factors contribute to the belief in conspiracy theories.
Surveys suggest that over half of Americans believe at least one conspiracy theory, even those that seem eccentric. Karen Douglas, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, discusses psychological research on how conspiracy theories start, why they persist, and who is most likely to believe them. Fact-checking is important, but it’s often not the right approach when someone passionately believes in conspiracies.
A new review finds that only some methods to counteract conspiracy beliefs are effective. It’s not true that conspiracy theorists commonly believe contradictory conspiracies, such as the claim that Diana, Princess of Wales, did not die in a car. Worrying about how many people believe false ideas misses the real danger – that people are influenced by them whether they believe them or not.
Many people believe conspiracy theories, even though such beliefs are harmful to themselves and their social environment. People can be prone to believing in conspiracy theories due to a combination of personality traits and motivations, including relying heavily on intuition.
📹 Why Do People Believe In Conspiracy Theories?
… Belief in Conspiracy Theories: Motivational Correlates: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/pops.12746 Subscribe: …
📹 The Government Is Lying to You – Ron Funches
In his special Giggle Fit, Ron Funches explains why he believes conspiracy theories and reacts to an airplane pilot’s dire warning.
In the first test I saw nothing but the square with the sailboat I could see lines that made me think, “I can see how other people would think that is a picture of a sailboat”. In the second test before she chose any I chose A and K and didn’t care if the result was to prove the rule true or false, I just wanted to know the actual result. I fully believe that most conspiracy theory beliefs come from a place of fear – fear for one’s health, fear for one’s economic stability, fear of change, and I pity those that live with such fears, it must be a terrible world they think they’re living in.
The argument about the more creative imagination of some people is valid in my opinion. There are tests that show, for example, that children see figures in clouds very quickly. The issue of conspiracy theories and the consequences for our democracies is unfortunately a serious one, but it cannot be identified with such a test.
Interesting! Once again proving that people need to feel a sense of control in their own life to feel comfortable…. which is becoming increasingly impossible to feel… I don’t blame anyone for believing in conspiracys with the world the way it is right now… I’m just sad there are so many that lead to harm like January 6th and people not going to the dr to save their babies…
Fascinating. The instinct to make sense of the environment by, in part, seeing familiar things (which we know how to manage the threat) particularly when stressed is a natural reaction. But using conspiracy theories to derive that sense, instead of reason and evidence, is a product of degrees of ignorance.
Totally wrong ! People’s minds work differently. Artists for example are much more attuned to details that most people will overlook completely. Autistic people think differently . There’s absolutely no correlation between patterns and conspiracy theories . You are trying to simplify brain activity without realising that humans are much more complex than anyone can possibly ever understand, let alone compartmentalise. Besides, just because something is originally made as a random combination doesn’t mean that it may not produce a recognisable object or result .
That “always a even number under a vowel” thing was misrepresented, though. It does not say “only vowels have even numbers under them”, he pointed out that “if there is a vowel, there’s an even number”. The other three options are not specified, and thus you learn just as little from turning over 4 as K or 9. You can only disprove the statement by turning over a vowel and finding an off number. (edit to fix logic!)
Wow, his stamina is way different since he lost some weight. And I’m still surprised I’m the only one who gets a Morgan Freeman vibe along with the Cleveland vibe everyone else is getting. But now with the weight loss, we getting a little Denzel Washington. That giggle there sounds like a little white girl with a secret!!
Lost weight, cut his hair, styled his hair, lined his hair. I’m guessing having that son made his shape up. read about a guy who lost 200lbs when the Dr told him he has a kid, better lose weight so his son won’t be orphaned. He walked to walmart 1hr every day, on his lunch break, to buy milk. as to the joke… it was … very stale, a chuckle nothing more, super easy, hardly an inconvenience. Guess the social justice warriors got to him. Can’t rock that boat, telling jokes.
Ron! You have worked so hard to get that creamy filling converted to a meaty filling! You are and also look amazing! Still as funny as you were when it was Ron+! You give me optimism for the same results for myself, If I was a hard worker.. hardy Harr harr..Heart-Little glow n the dark female all the way in Kansas!
Bruh they weren’t lying about cell signals interfering with communications, the cellular network has changed and mitigated that complication. Pilots were trying to communicate with the tower and other planes and were getting that annoying noise you sometimes used to hear on your speakers when your phone was too close to it.
He’s completely right. Who in their right mind wouldn’t believe any conspiracy theories? A quick search for “conspiracy theories that turned out to be true” shows the list is long. So even according to the official narrative itself, the official narrative isn’t always the truth. Anyone who really doesn’t believe any conspiracy theories must be so ridiculously naive that it’s just plain silly.