Why Do Americans Think That Conspiracies Are True?

Conspiracy theories are a common phenomenon that have been present for at least the past 100 years, with over a quarter of the American population believing in conspiracies. These theories can be attributed to personality traits and motivations, such as relying on intuition, feeling superiority towards others, and perceiving threats in their environment. The reasons for believing in conspiracy theories can be grouped into three categories: the desire for understanding and certainty, the desire for control, and the desire for control.

Belief in conspiracy theories can erode people’s trust in their government, leaders, institutions, and science and research itself. 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. “Confirmation bias” is the most pervasive cognitive bias and a powerful driver of belief in conspiracies.

Recent events, such as the election of Donald Trump, the U.S. Capitol riot, and several conspiracy theory-inspired mass shootings, have prompted concern about the widespread belief in conspiracy theories. Research has shown that most Americans believe in conspiracy theories of some sort, and at least half of Americans believe at least one conspiracy theory.

The approach to patients with conspiracy beliefs should be similar to dealing with psychotic disorders, as conspiracy theories are everywhere. Research shows that beliefs in two popular variants of COVID-19 conspiracy theory are the joint product of psychological predispositions.