Why Is There A Conspiracy Everywhere That People See?

Conspiracy theories are a common and fascinating aspect of human culture, often defined as beliefs or explanations that attribute the cause of significant events or situations to secret, malevolent plots. Psychologists argue that conspiracy theories survive because humans have a basic need to explain the world around them. People sometimes fill in the blanks with their best guesses when something challenges their understanding. 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.

People can be prone to believe in conspiracy theories due to a combination of personality traits and motivations, including relying strongly on their intuition, feeling a sense of antagonism, and superiority. The approach to patients with conspiracy beliefs should be similar to dealing with psychotic disorders. Karen Douglas, PhD, discusses psychological research on how conspiracy theories start, why they persist, who is most likely to believe them, and whether they are a valid cause of fear.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation and conspiracy theorizing have surged, with President Trump praising the theory. Rational arguments and myth busting often won’t help change the mind of a conspiracy theorist, but there are other ways to do so. Personality traits of conspiracy theorists may be too powerful for some to resist.