Why People Believe
Surveys show that people that believe in conspiracy theories have key characteristics. Very agreeable, influential, and untrusting people are more likely to believe because they lack correct information and have no interest in researching the claims. The claims themselves contain very appealing elements as well. They offer persuasive, simple explanations that are easy to understand and follow. The media also plays a large role because it makes the theories known and they introduce them in a persuasive, secretive manner.
Personality Traits of Believers
Most conspiracy theorists display common personality traits. The low level of trust, high level of agreeableness, and the feeling of powerlessness all increase a person's likelihood of believing in a conspiracy theory. According to the psychologists whose studies got published in the British Journal of Social Psychology (Jolley, Daniel), people that believe that they would form that theory are more likely to participate in it. This process is called projection. The second study contained a control group and an experimental group. People met the experimental group and reminded them of a time they helped someone. After being primed, the psychologists found that the control group was much more likely to participate in the conspiracy theories than the group that was primed. As stated in many sources, one of the biggest factors in determining if people will believe in these theories is their willingness to conspire. The articles "Unanswered Questions" (Swami, V) and "The Social Consequences of Conspiracism" (Jolley, Daniel) also mention many of these key personality traits. When people feel powerless, they feel that events around the world are beyond their control. Conspiracy theories allow them to have a simple explanation for major events. Instead of having to research each claim, people are able to look at one conspiracy theory and have a better understanding of the event.
Believing in conspiracy theories also provides people with a direct way to release their anger. When people are discouraged and are upset with the government for various reasons, such as their poor living condition, they can find theories that blame the government. This helps them direct their anger toward the government and it helps them feel better about the event that occurred because they know that the event was out of their control. It is an easy escape.
In parallel with how agreeable one is, having an open mind is another characteristic of believers. Many conspiracy theories are a stretch from what actually occurred. Some are so far-fetched that it is hard to believe people actually believe in it. However, if one keeps a very open mind about every topic, they are much more likely to believe in conspiracy theories because they do not do much research into them. Nothing sounds uncertain to them, so they take what they hear at face value.
Believing in conspiracy theories also provides people with a direct way to release their anger. When people are discouraged and are upset with the government for various reasons, such as their poor living condition, they can find theories that blame the government. This helps them direct their anger toward the government and it helps them feel better about the event that occurred because they know that the event was out of their control. It is an easy escape.
In parallel with how agreeable one is, having an open mind is another characteristic of believers. Many conspiracy theories are a stretch from what actually occurred. Some are so far-fetched that it is hard to believe people actually believe in it. However, if one keeps a very open mind about every topic, they are much more likely to believe in conspiracy theories because they do not do much research into them. Nothing sounds uncertain to them, so they take what they hear at face value.
Race and Income Level
Although there are key characteristics of believers for any gender, race, or age, there are also characteristics specifically found in different groups of people. People of a certain race are more likely than other races to believe in conspiracy theories that directly affect their community. An example mentioned in "Belief in Conspiracy Theories" (Goertzel, Ted) is that out of all of the African Americans that took a survey, sixty-two percent believed that the government was responsible for putting drugs in all black communities. The belief in this theory was much smaller in other races. This is because this theory does not have a direct influence on their community, therefore it is not as important to them. As a general rule, if a conspiracy theory directly affects a person or his or her surroundings, he or she is more likely to believe in it.
The minority status a person has also has an effect on how likely he or she is
to believe in a conspiracy theory. Many minorities blame people for their living conditions, so they find conspiracy theories that allow them to direct their anger at the people they blame. There is also a strong correlation between believers and anomia, a situation where one is unable to identify an object's name or recognize the name when it is written or spoken. This is understandable because conspiracy theories offer a simple explanation for events. People that have high levels of anomia are less likely to recognize when a theory offers a ridiculous explanation. It is easier for them to believe in almost every conspiracy theory that they encounter. When people feel insignificant and out of control, believing in theories gives them an enemy to direct their anger at. These theories give people a simple explanation for why an event occurred, especially events people are not always knowledgeable of. There are also some people that do not even look into the facts of the theory. Instead, they think "well, this person has been responsible for all of these events, so this new conspiracy theory about them must be true." This type of thinking emphasizes their belief in conspiracy theories because they are not thinking about it in a logical way. |
"Conspiracy theories may help in this process by providing a tangible enemy to blame for problems which otherwise seem too abstract and impersonal" |
How Conspiracy Theories Influence People
Although people with low trust levels are more prone to believing in conspiracies, studies have also shown that conspiracy theories influence trust levels. When people believe in conspiracies, overtime their trust levels have decreased because of what they believe in. Most theories blame a person or a group of people. Eventually, when someone supports many different theories, they begin to stop trusting people because everything he or she believes in "proves' that people cannot be trusted. For example, many conspiracies deal with the government hiding secrets. It a person believes in theories that support this, they obtain that general idea that the government cannot be trusted, and from there, it becomes harder for them to trust anyone regardless of who they are.
Believing in conspiracy theories also affects people by promoting the feeling of powerlessness and changing their behavior in politics. The studies done in "The Social Consequences of Conspiracism" written by Daniel Jolley and Karen M. Douglas specifically look at these feelings pertaining to the government. When people believe in conspiracies about government action, many begin to feel that they have no control over the government and that their opinion does not matter. This thinking process leads to people not voting because they feel that their vote is insignificant and that it will not change anything. Many people that believe in conspiracy theories about the government used to vote, but now they have chosen to stop because they feel like they do not have a powerful voice.
The more conspiracy theories one believes in, the easier it becomes to form a general idea of that topic. This aspect of believing in conspiracy theories is examined in the article "Dead and Alive" (Wood, Michael J). If someone believes in many theories about the government being deceiving and hiding
information from citizens, that person will likely take on the attitude that the government is dishonest. When that attitude is formed, it is likely that he or
she will believe in any conspiracy theory about a deceiving government. To that person, no amount of research would ever change his or her mind. The term
confirmation bias explains this phenomena. Any evidence that proves what the person believes is accepted at face value, but the evidence that contradicts his
or her opinion is immediately thrown out.
If people believe in a multitude of conspiracy theories, it is also more likely for them to believe in any conspiracy theory that they hear. Eventually, they stop focusing on the individual facts of each conspiracy theory and begin to believe in every theory they come across. This is why so many people believe in contradicting theories. It is not unlikely that a person who believes Osama Bin Laden is dead will also believe a theory that says he is alive. The second a person hears the words "conspiracy theory," they automatically believe it no matter what the theory is.
Believing in conspiracy theories also affects people by promoting the feeling of powerlessness and changing their behavior in politics. The studies done in "The Social Consequences of Conspiracism" written by Daniel Jolley and Karen M. Douglas specifically look at these feelings pertaining to the government. When people believe in conspiracies about government action, many begin to feel that they have no control over the government and that their opinion does not matter. This thinking process leads to people not voting because they feel that their vote is insignificant and that it will not change anything. Many people that believe in conspiracy theories about the government used to vote, but now they have chosen to stop because they feel like they do not have a powerful voice.
The more conspiracy theories one believes in, the easier it becomes to form a general idea of that topic. This aspect of believing in conspiracy theories is examined in the article "Dead and Alive" (Wood, Michael J). If someone believes in many theories about the government being deceiving and hiding
information from citizens, that person will likely take on the attitude that the government is dishonest. When that attitude is formed, it is likely that he or
she will believe in any conspiracy theory about a deceiving government. To that person, no amount of research would ever change his or her mind. The term
confirmation bias explains this phenomena. Any evidence that proves what the person believes is accepted at face value, but the evidence that contradicts his
or her opinion is immediately thrown out.
If people believe in a multitude of conspiracy theories, it is also more likely for them to believe in any conspiracy theory that they hear. Eventually, they stop focusing on the individual facts of each conspiracy theory and begin to believe in every theory they come across. This is why so many people believe in contradicting theories. It is not unlikely that a person who believes Osama Bin Laden is dead will also believe a theory that says he is alive. The second a person hears the words "conspiracy theory," they automatically believe it no matter what the theory is.
More Information
For more information about what makes conspiracy theories so appealing, go to the page:
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Information about the motivations the United States would have had to fake the moon landing can be found on the page:
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