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Why Do Some People Believe in Conspiracy Theories?

2024-02-13 12:58:40

Conviction beliefs can sometimes be based on reasonable analysis of evidence, but in most cases this is not the case. As a species, one of our greatest strengths is that we can find meaningful patterns in the surrounding world and make causal reasoning. But, especially when we believe that events are out of reach of us, we see patterns and causal relationships that sometimes do not exist.

The attraction of a conspiracy theory can arise from a series of cognitive biases, which is the way we process information. "Confirmation of prejudice" is the most common bias of recognition, powerful driving force of conspiracy beliefs. We all tend to endorse more evidence to support what we already believe and ignore evidence that contradicts our beliefs. Real-world events that are often the subject of conspiracy theories are often complicated and ambiguous. Initial reports may contain errors, contradictions, ambiguities, and those who want to find evidence to cover up will pay attention to these discrepancies to strengthen the assertion.

"Proportional bias", we assume that there is a major reason for big events naturally, and it can also explain our trend of accepting conspiracy. Reason why many people think that John F. Kennedy is a victim of a crazy lonely gunman and that people are more uncomfortable and that he is easier to accept that he is a victim of a large conspiracy One of this is this.

Another related cognitive bias is "projection". People who support the conspiracy theory may be more likely to be involved in conspiracy, such as spreading rumors or suspecting others. If you are involved in this type of action, others may also look natural, and conspiracy seems more reasonable and universal. In addition, people who strongly prefer conspiracy are more likely to support contradictory theories. For example, if you think that Osama bin Laden was killed a few years before the US government officially announces its death, you are likely to believe that he is still alive.

None of the above should indicate that all conspiracy theories are wrong. Some people may prove true. The important thing is that some people may think that this theory is attractive. The core of the problem is that the conspirators do not know what the real interpretation of the event is - they just decide that the "official story" is concealment

The first title of this article is "Why do some people believe conspiracy theory?"

Perhaps we should let ankle jaw take a break or at least try to understand his source. Why do some people believe conspiracy theory? This is exactly what I recently cited in an article published in the journal Current Psychological Science by British psychologist Calendar Grass and his colleagues. The desire to understand and decide. To seek interpretation of events is a natural desire of humanity. We are always asking why things happen in their way. Why did it rain when I wanted to go out? Why is it so cold that she is so cold? Why am I not understanding what I mean?

Those who believe in conspiracy theory may be fired or ridiculed as "crazy", but most people who believe in conspiracy theory suggest that they have never experienced a psychopathology of some kind. In the case of diagnostic and statistical manual on psychiatric disorders, there is no direct link between convincing theories and beliefs about mental health problems. However, some people who believe strongly and casually believe in conspiracy theory may also experience mental health problems such as paranoia, schizophrenia, narcissism, delusions, anxiety, or confidence problems affecting their daily lives There is. Some of these problems are more common among people who believe in conspiracy theories.

Those who tend to believe in some people are reflected in the fact that they may trust others, even if the two are directly contradictory. Many people who accept a conspiracy theory suffer from a broken epistemology. Their belief is the function of the function they hear. Therefore, an isolated social network may become a hotbed of conspiracy theories. In some cases, these theories help to encourage violence. To reduce this risk it is necessary to understand how these theories are created and even how they can be understood even if they are obviously wrong . Of course, conspiracy theory is an extreme example, understanding the mechanism behind it is helpful in revealing the formation of general political beliefs and why some of them are incorrect.