The Roots Of Conspiracy Theory
The sheer outlandishness of the claims are breathtaking: a Satanist pedophile ring run by political elites; American voting machines rigged “at the direction of Hugo Chavez,” who is deceased; school shootings that are actually “false flag” operations designed to push gun control.
Conspiracy theories have always existed, but social media has fueled their explosion, and conspiracy theories are on the rise, according to surveys. With events like the Capital insurrection propelled by conspiracy theories, American society needs to do far more to address the far fetched ideas. In short, where do conspiracy theories come from and what’s to be done about them?
A new and powerful study from Applied Cognitive Psychology gives an answer, suggesting that critical thinking is key, and the researchers found that people who do poorly on critical thinking tasks like evaluating arguments are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. This suggests that critical thinking education can provide an important counterweight to the recent growth in conspiracy theories.
Understanding the psychology behind conspiracy theories has important consequences for how the nation sets out to dampen the influence of the improbable ideas. For example, studies suggest that simply tagging conspiracy theories on social media is not likely to have a significant impact on their spread. Indeed, calling something a “conspiracy theory” can even make things worse and increase the spread of the idea. What’s needed is a more nuanced understanding of what drives conspiracy theories and what kind of interventions can actually be effective against them.
More at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/helenleebouygues/2021/03/01/the-roots-of-conspiracy-theory/?sh=1f792e9232ab&HootPostID=422a1b68-f734-49f1-ae94-3bea0b44b666&Socialprofile=wileyinresearch&Socialnetwork=twitter