Why Conspiracy Theories Are Fast Becoming Mainstream
Conspiracy theories are expanding rapidly the closer we get to the 2024 Presidential election.
?We’ve all seen them. Those posts shared by friends of friends on Facebook, that jaw-dropping tweet you can scarcely believe was not immediately deleted. Alongside social distancing and Zoom meetings, one inescapable symptom of the pandemic is the proliferation of conspiracy theories on social media.
According to a recent study by Joseph Uscinski and colleagues published in the PLOS ONE journal, 73% of?Americans?believe that conspiracy theories are currently “out of control,” and 59% agree that people are more likely to believe conspiracy theories “compared to 25 years ago.” Approximately 77% of Americans believe that social media and the Internet are responsible for these increases.?
In the article “Conspiracy Theories and the Paranoid Style(s) of American Politics,” the political scientists?Eric Oliver?and?Thomas Wood?present some startling findings about how prevalent conspiracy theor and what encourages people to believe them.?
Elsewhere, across the world, coronavirus-related conspiracies have abounded; one large-scale survey ?found that as many as one in five Britons believed the COVID-19 fatality rate may have been exaggerated.
A 2019 poll from?Insider?found that nearly?80%?of people in the United States follow at least one unproven theory, conspiracy or not.
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A survey found that 23% of those with postgraduate degrees and 42% of people without a high school education believe in conspiracies.?A 2017 survey?found that the average household income for those inclined to believe in conspiracies was $47,193, compared to $63,824 for those who didn’t.
?Examples of Conspiracy Theories
Some recent examples of conspiracy theories include:
?Conspiracy theories have been gaining traction since COVID broke out, especially on social media. Opinion researchers from Germany’s Allensbach Institute polled 1,000 representative residents in the United States, Great Britain, France, and Germany in June 2020 to learn more about the diffusion and acceptance of such conspiracies. Up to 22% of Americans think that “there is more to them than the official explanations of the events” regarding purported conspiracy theories. Additionally, one in four Americans prefers to get their news from unbiased sources because they feel that the mainstream media “are not telling the truth about COVID.”
Conspiracy theories are not new, but they have risen to the forefront of?consciousness?in recent years. Some controversial examples of such theories include the belief that terrorist attacks and mass shootings were staged events orchestrated by the U.S. government.
Other examples include the belief that the pharmaceutical industry intentionally spreads diseases or that vaccines cause illness rather than prevent them. While it might seem like these beliefs are rare or even pathological, research has shown that they are surprisingly common.
What Is a Conspiracy Theory?
Conspiracy theories are distinct from other forms of misinformation and falsehood. They are particular ways we make sense of the complex and sometimes disturbing world around us. They have also long been seen as a particularly political phenomenon. The American historian Richard Hofstadter?famously?referred to such ideas as underpinning a “paranoid style” of political thinking, replete with “heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy”.
A more recent understanding of their importance can be found in the work of the political theorist Alfred Moore, who?suggests?they are means of “explaining events or phenomena in a way that is unwarranted, implausible, or even dangerous, invoking ever and deeper conspiracies and discounting all contradictory evidence”.
It is well established that conspiracy theories are more prevalent in times of crisis.?Research?shows us that the popularity of these ideas is not constant, and peaks during cataclysmic events and social upheaval. Conspiracy theories were prominent during previous pandemics, including?the Black Death, the “Russian flu” of the late 19th century and the?1918 flu pandemic.
However, in contrast to past crises, recent conspiracy theories have been driven by the rapid change in how we communicate. The emergence of social media sites is particularly important, which enables the rapid spread of information based on (superficially, at least) plausible information produced by what appear to be reliable sources. This context matters partly because it allows a great degree of individual agency in disseminating conspiracy theories.?
Fundamentally, conspiracy theories of this kind are influential because they are participatory. They engage people directly in developing and amplifying political ideas, however outlandish they might seem. In an environment where trust and confidence in political institutions are?declining?and engagement in democracy is?highly unequal, this form of participation provides an easily accessible and engaging alternative to mainstream forms of political participation.?
?Why do People Believe in Conspiracies??
There are several reasons why someone might be drawn to a conspiracy theory, many of which are connected to unmet psychological needs.
?The first of these wants, according to Karen M. Douglas, professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, “is epistemic, relating to the need to know the truth and have clarity and certainty.” The other wants include social, which are related to the desire to uphold our sense of self-worth and feel good about the organizations we are a part of, as well as existential, which are tied to the need to feel safe and to have some influence over the events taking place around us.
?Thus, if someone fears the pandemic and feels out of control, they can be lured to beliefs that contend it is untrue because they meet their existential demands. To satisfy their need for epistemic satisfaction in the face of a particularly frustrating political scenario, individuals may
begin investigating seemingly simple answers to intractable problems.
Such findings suggest that conspiracy beliefs might arise as a?defence mechanism. When people feel disadvantaged, they are motivated to find ways to boost their self-perceptions. Blaming others by linking them to malevolent plots provides a scapegoat, thus improving how conspiracy believers view themselves.
The belief in conspiracies is also rooted in collective narcissism, the belief that one's social group is better yet less appreciated by other people.
People who feel that they or their social group have been victimized are also less likely to believe in government institutions and more likely to believe in conspiracies.
There are a variety of other risk factors associated with conspiracy beliefs, such as political apathy and the?desire to feel special,?which can also be sources of conspiracy ideas. According to Stephan Lewandowsky, co-author of the?Conspiracy Theory Handbook?and Chair in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Bristol, those who are?less critical thinkers?are also more inclined to believe in conspiracies.
?According to Lewandowsky, those who believe in conspiracies “often believe that intuition is a better method to know the truth than data — people who think their gut feeling is telling them what to believe and who don’t need or want proof to make a decision.” They lack a healthy dose of skepticism, Lewandowsky says.
?One of the reasons conspiracy theories are so difficult to disprove is that they are “self-sealing” by nature, which means that evidence cannot be used to disprove them. Lewandowsky argues, “The absence of any proof is assumed to be evidence for the theory.” “As an illustration, somebody last year claimed on YouTube that Anthony Fauci was directly directing funding to a lab in Wuhan. he said, “See, that’s how good the cover-up is; when the interviewer stated that there was no evidence. Because they so effectively conceal it, there is no evidence.” Today, some conspiracists, including those in the Republican Party in the U.S., claim that Fauci created COVID.
?Adrian Furnham, a psychologist, examined the psychology and worldview of conspiracy theorists in two recent research studies, one in?Current Psychology?and the other in the?International Journal of Social Psychiatry. He says most conspiracy theories believers also believe the world is unfair, and life is difficult. “Conspiracy theorists are frequently illiterate and failing in their occupations. These people use conspiracy theories as a means of giving their struggles some sort of purpose, according to Furnham.
?In his research involving more than 400 participants, he explains that conspiracy theorists believe the world is unfair because they observe awful things occurring to nice people in a study. ?“This prompts some marginalized members of society to search for patterns in the injustice and pinpoint what they believe are hidden or covert causes for events. It is an illusion of power over an immovable object,” he says.
?Personality Issues Frequently Contribute.?
?In his second study, Furnham reports that conspiracy theorists may experience certain well-known personality disorders. “They are usually strange or quirky individuals who are frequently self-centered. They think that rather than themselves, the world is flawed or out of whack. In addition to general mistrust of society and authorities, they frequently exhibit social awkwardness and tend to isolate themselves,” according to Furnham. He also says they frequently have exaggerated emotions and dramatic thinking patterns by accepting some truths while dismissing others, for instance.
?According to a study by Joshua Hart and Molly Graether published in the journal?Individual Differences,?? people who believe in conspiracy theories tend to show personality traits and characteristics such as:
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According to the study, having a personality that falls into the “schizotypy” spectrum—a collection of personality traits that can range from magical thinking and dissociative states to disorganized thinking patterns and psychosis—is the biggest predictor of belief in conspiracy theories.
?Research by A. Lantian and colleagues published in?Social Psychology?also suggests that belief in conspiracy theories is linked to people’s need for uniqueness. The higher the need to feel special and unique, the more likely a person is to believe a conspiracy theory.
?Other personality traits commonly linked to the tendency to believe or follow conspiracy theories include narcissism, low agreeableness, Machiavellianism, and less openness to experience,
Professor of clinical psychiatry Richard A. Friedman, MD, writes in his viewpoint paper, “Why Humans Are Vulnerable to Conspiracy Theories”: “Having the capacity to imagine and anticipate that other people might form coalitions and conspire to harm one’s clan would confer a clear adaptive advantage: a suspicious stance toward others, even if mistaken, would be a safer strategy than carefree trust.”
?In other words, from an evolutionary perspective, a conspiracy theory might help you stay safer if your rival attacks, as you have already anticipated their moves. “The paranoia that drives individuals to scan the world for danger constantly and suspect the worst of others probably once provided a similar survival edge,” Friedman adds.
?Suppressing Conspiracy Theories Is a Losing Battle
If anxiety underlies conspiratorial thinking, then suppression is likely to fail.?Decades of research and clinical science?show that trying to suppress anxious feelings almost always has the unintended consequence of amplifying them. The same goes for conspiratorial thinking.
When marginalized groups' beliefs are under siege, when they are treated as simply deluded or "crazy," group members tend to become more fanatic and radicalized to protect their worldview from outsiders. So, like gold-standard approaches to treating anxiety, our approach to conspiracy theories should emphasize two proactive steps: identifying and replacing unrealistic beliefs and changing behaviors.
How to Interact with Someone Who Believes Conspiracy Theories?
When provided before conspiracy beliefs, they discovered that the intention to vaccinate a child increased. Even with factually sound and reasonable reasons, once these conspiracies were formed, they became extremely more challenging to disprove.
?As a result,?“prebunking,”?as Lewandowsky and other authors call it, engages someone before they become entrenched in the world of conspiracy theories. It’s important to encourage individuals to think critically and equip them with strategies to guard against false information, as David Robson noted in an article for?The Psychologist. The game? “Bad News,”?created by researchers at the University of Cambridge, is one instance of an intervention that emphasizes critical thinking.
?But it’s not simple to disprove a conspiracy idea after it’s become widespread. According to Douglas, it’s challenging to convince someone to change their mind when they have such strong convictions. People are particularly skilled at choosing and interpreting information that seems to support their existing views while rejecting or misinterpreting information that contradicts them.
?However, according to scholar Jovan Byford in?The Conversation,?“conspiracies are based on feelings of hatred, outrage, and dissatisfaction about the world.” Therefore, it’s critical to comprehend and make an effort to understand the emotions that may be driving someone’s erroneous views.
?Anxiety was linked to COVID-19 conspiracy theories, according to a study published in?Personality and Individual Differences.?Another study?indicated that many COVID-19 conspiracy theorists also felt powerless over their lives and the political positions they were in.
?According to Douglas, those who believe in conspiracies could feel “confused, anxious, and isolated.” Therefore, behaving in a nasty or mocking manner toward them would be ineffective. She said, “This ignores their viewpoints and can further alienate them and drive them into conspiracy theories.” It’s critical to remain composed and pay attention. Lewandowsky concurs, saying that empathy is the key to everything. “There is data to show that you shouldn’t do that. Insulting individuals doesn’t help.”
?Suppose you truly disagree with someone’s worldview. In that case, it can be difficult to avoid responding in a hostile manner, as anyone who has had a contentious family discussion over politics will attest. However, according to?Harvard Business School research?that was published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, being receptive may be the better course of action.
?The team, headed by Mike Yeomans, contends that “conversational receptiveness” is essential to de-escalating conflict. If you speak to someone in a way that conveys you’re open to their perspectives and beliefs, they’ll be more likely to be persuaded by yours.
?Therefore, using simple words like “I get that” or “What you’re saying is” might help you communicate with people who have quite different opinions from your own. Even if this doesn’t mean they repudiate conspiracist beliefs, it can help a relationship be cordial and non-hostile.
?Power and Purpose
Lewandowsky notes that empowering individuals may also aid in thwarting conspiratorial thinking. As we’ve seen, having a sense of control can assist in preventing conspiracist thinking because it’s well-known that believing in conspiracies is closely related to feeling helpless.
?People can gain personal power through treatments that?promote analytical thinking?and remind them of times?when they were in charge. In one study, for instance, participants were asked to recollect a circumstance in which they were in control, and those who were asked to recall a situation in which they were out of control were less likely to believe in a conspiracy theory. These strategies could enable you to communicate effectively with a loved one.
Restoring people’s sense of control is one action that can be taken, according to Lewandowsky. “People who feel like they’ve lost control of their life and are terrified often turn to conspiracy theories,” says the author. “That’s one of the reasons why a pandemic will provoke more of this thinking because people have lost control of their lives.”
?So that’s one deceptive approach: encouraging someone to take command of their lives rather than trying to argue them out of it. At that point, they may eventually give up because they no longer need it.
?This does not imply that convincing someone to change their mind is always feasible. Lewandowsky says, “the hard-core believers who are really down the rabbit hole… they are incredibly tough to approach.” When having conversations that could be difficult or upsetting, it’s equally critical to safeguarding your welfare. However, the first step to having a fruitful dialogue with someone who believes in conspiracy theories may be to treat them with understanding and composure. And don’t get baited into an exchange where you’re trying to change their minds. If the chasm between you is too large and irreparable, it might be wiser to distance the relationship.
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