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Communication & Cognition

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? Here’s what the science says

Eric W. Dolan
06 February 2024
Archived
15 min
PME All levels

BLUF

Beliefs are shaped by personality traits and deeper motivational needs like the desire for certainty or feeling misunderstood by society.

Summary

  1. Conspiracy theories often link major events to secret plots by powerful groups.
  2. These theories suggest covert manipulation by these groups.
  3. But, never supply credible evidence to support these claims.
READ: Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? Here’s what the science says

References

  • Media Check Psypost - Media Bias/Fact Check ((HIGH CREDIBILITY)
  • Collections |The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
  • ADDITIONAL READING RAAF RUNWAY (PME)
  • RAAF RUNWAY: RATIONALE, GUIDELINES, LEARNING OUTCOMES, ETC
 

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