Conspiracy theories are one of the banes of the modern world, exacerbated by the internet and social media. What was once relegated to the fringe has now been pushed into the mainstream, actively shaping public discourse and policies. But why do so many people buy into these narratives even when they are contradicted by empirical facts?

In a new study published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, researchers identify two psychological traits common among people with a conspiracist mindset: a sense of injustice and a low tolerance of ambiguity.

The first is a low tolerance of ambiguity or TA. People with low TA find it difficult to handle stories or situations that are not abundantly clear or contain “shades of gray.” They often feel anxious when a situation is unclear or random. Conspiracy theories remove this uncertainty by providing a simple, black-and-white explanation.

The second factor is a sense of injustice. People who are sensitive to perceived injustices or who believe the world is unfairly rigged against them are more likely to subscribe to conspiracy theories. The belief that someone is “pulling the strings” or controlling the situation helps them to make sense of what is going on. For these individuals, a secret plot is a more satisfying explanation than the idea that the world is simply random and complex.

The researchers also found that people who are younger, as well as those who are more religious also have a stronger conspiracist mentality.

  • Eternalposer@lemmy.zipEnglish
    2·
    4 days ago

    I’ve heard this before. Where does this claim come from? You can find the term conspiracy theory used as early as like the 1870s.

    • zd9@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      4 days ago

      I’ve seen it all over. Some examples are FBI and CIA responses to people learning about COINTELPRO, Bay of Pigs invasion, The McCarthyism era aka Red Scare, about a dozen other covert CIA and military operations, advanced research for aircraft and missiles being pushed as aliens, etc.