Why Do People Get Converted By Conspiracy Theorists?

Researchers have identified three main reasons for believing in conspiracy theories: the desire for understanding and certainty, the desire for control and control, and the fear of antagonism and superiority. People can be prone to believing in conspiracy theories due to a combination of personality traits and motivations, including relying on intuition, feeling antagonism, and superiority. This “conspiracy mentality” correlates with certain personality traits, including low levels of trust and an increased need for closure.

The unexplained suicide of Jeffrey Epstein has given rise to conspiracy theories, which often propose that powerful people or groups are secretly plotting to accomplish their goals without collecting rigorous data to support their case. Conspiracy theorists propose without having collected rigorous data to support their case, and baseless theories threaten our safety and democracy.

Belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories was related to greater concerns about one’s own safety, and lower concerns about the safety of close others. A new study found no evidence that people’s beliefs in conspiracy theories increase over time, and they can even change their minds. Recent research has produced a significant body of knowledge about the antecedents and consequences of individual differences in belief in conspiracy theories. As the prospects of a COVID-19 vaccine look up, attention is also turning to the problem of anti-vax ideas.