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8 What Drives People To Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy Theories:

Here's What Drives

People To Them, No

Matter How Wacky

by William Cummings

Wake up, sheeple.
Right now, there are networks of
passionate and committed people across the
world working to subvert some of our deepest-
held beliefs and upend the established world
order.
They're called conspiracy theorists.
They walk among us. They could be your
friends, neighbors or loved ones. Who knows?
You may even be one yourself.
There seems to be a conspiracy being
"uncovered" all the time these days, and no
matter how outlandish they may be they seem to
have no trouble drawing in ardent believers.
Despite the prevalence and
pervasiveness of conspiracy theories, the female, rich or poor, well educated or not. Conspiracy theories as coping
reasons people are drawn to them is a relatively To some extent, the human brain is
new area of study for psychologists. wired to find conspiracy theories appealing. mechanism?
Jan-Willem van Prooijen, an associate People are highly evolved when it comes to the
professor at the Department of Social and ability to draw conclusions and predict One reason for the pervasiveness of conspiracy
Organizational Psychology at VU University consequences based on sensory data and theories is that they serve an important
Amsterdam, said research into the phenomenon observation. But sometimes those same psychological function for people trying to cope
has really only taken off in the last seven years. processes can lead to oversimplifications and with large, stressful events like a terrorist attack.
According to University of Chicago misperception through what psychologists refer People "need to blame the anxiety that
political science professors Eric Oliver and to as "cognitive bias," van Prooijen said. they feel on different groups and the result is
Thomas Wood, in any given year roughly half Among the cognitive biases Van frequently conspiracy theories," van Prooijen
of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy Prooijen and other psychologists believe said, defining the term as a belief that "a group
theory. Their 2014 study found that 19% of contribute to the appeal of conspiracy theories of actors is colluding in secret in order to reach
Americans believed the U.S. government are: goals that are considered evil or malevolent."
planned the 9/11 attacks to start a war in the • Confirmation bias: People's willingness to One reason for the pervasiveness of
Middle East, 24% believed former president accept explanations that fit what they conspiracy theories is that they serve an
Barack Obama was not born in the United already believe. important psychological function for people
States, and 25% believed Wall Street bankers • Proportionality bias: The inclination to trying to cope with large, stressful events like a
conspired to cause the financial crisis that began believe that big events must have big terrorist attack.
in 2008. Those are high numbers considering causes. People "need to blame the anxiety that
there is zero evidence to support any of those • Illusory pattern perception: The tendency to they feel on different groups and the result is
theories. see causal relations where there may not be frequently conspiracy theories," van Prooijen
And a whopping 61% said they do not any. said, defining the term as a belief that "a group
believe the official conclusion of the Warren of actors is colluding in secret in order to reach
Commission that Lee Harvey Oswald acted Yet there are factors that make some goals that are considered evil or malevolent."
alone in assassinating President John F. people more or less inclined to accept "People don’t like it when things are
Kennedy, according to a 2013 Gallup poll. The conspiracy theories. really random. Randomness is more threatening
number has not dropped below 50% since People with greater knowledge of the than having an enemy. You can prepare for an
Gallup began polling on the subject just after news media are less likely to believe conspiracy enemy, you can’t prepare for coincidences."
the 1963 tragedy. theories, according to a new study, “News Conspiracy theories also appeal to
President Trump himself has expressed Media Literacy and Conspiracy Theory people's need to feel special and unique because
a belief in at least two of the above conspiracies Endorsement,” in the current issue of it gives them a sense of possessing secret
at one time or another. He was the most vocal Communication and the Public. knowledge, according to a study in the July
proponent of the baseless claim that Obama was “It’s significant that knowledge about 2017 edition of Social Psychology.
not born in America, and during the 2016 the news media — not beliefs about it, but
Republican primary campaign, Trump implied knowledge of basic facts about structure, (Continued on Page 9)
Sen. Ted Cruz's father was connected to Oswald content and effects — is associated with less
and the Kennedy killing. Trump has also said likelihood one will fall prey to a conspiracy
climate change is a Chinese-manufactured hoax theory, even a theory that is in line with one’s
meant to hurt U.S. industry. His characterization political ideology,” co-author Stephanie Craft, a
of Russian election meddling as a "made-up University of Illinois journalism professor, told
story" designed to discredit his election victory the Columbia Journalism Review.
was deemed 2017's lie of the year by fact- Oliver believes the greatest predictor of
checker Politifact last week. people's likelihood to accept conspiracy

theories is the degree to which they rely on their
Everyone's a suspect intuition over analytical thinking.
"They go with their gut feelings.
Conspiracy theorists can be conservative, They’re very susceptible to symbols and
liberal or any other political stripe — male or metaphors," he said.