Psychologists explain why people get stuck in a crazy conspiracy theory

It has been reported that people who believe in conspiracy theory have an impact on the real world, such as the fact that a conspiracy theory such as '5G radio waves are spreading the new coronavirus' actually causes fire damage to the radio tower. .. Christian Jarrett, who has several books on psychology, explains the characteristics of people who believe in such conspiracy theories.

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? --BBC Science Focus Magazine
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/conspiracy-theories-belief/

In recent years, conspiracy theories such as '5G radio waves are spreading the new coronavirus' and ' secret societies of devil worshipers and pediatric lovers are trying to dominate the world ' have been spread around the Internet. 'For those of us who seem eccentric and ridiculous about conspiracy theory, it's hard to understand why so many people believe in conspiracy theory, but psychology researchers have perceptions and emotions. I'm clarifying the reason why people believe in conspiracy theory from the perspective of. '

For example, a study published in 2017 found that people who believed in conspiracy theory were more likely than the average person to find meaningful shapes from random patterns such as 'the shape of a cloud looks like a human face.' doing. From this research result, it can be said that people who believe in conspiracy theory are more likely to associate different events with each other.

A 2016 study also found that many people who believe in conspiracy theory do not have higher education. In addition, a 2021 study found that people who believed in conspiracy theory had lower critical thinking skills. From these findings, Jarrett said, 'People who believe in conspiracy theory may not only relate things, but they may also be less able to find logic flaws. And many of the conspiracy theories are fundamental. Is based on flawed logic. ' In addition, conspiracy theories have been found to tend to overestimate their abilities, which Jarrett said: 'The combination of ignorance and overconfidence provides a solid foundation for unfounded beliefs to take hold. Is born. '

Besides, those who believe in the conspiracy theory that the cultivated a kind of solidarity and confidence by 'believing in things that do not believe in general' suggested have been. Furthermore, it has been observed that 'believing in the same theory' tends to suppress anxiety. From these things, Jarrett argues that 'the powerful emotional elements created by believing in conspiracy theories make it difficult to make sense of those theories.'