New research sheds light on the psychological payoff of believing in conspiracy theories

Summary

The author Eric Dolan makes the following points:

• People tend to believe conspiracy theories when they find them entertaining.
• People who are anxious or uncertain are more likely to believe conspiracy theories.
• Five studies were conducted relating to conspiracy theories.
• People were required to read conspiracy theories about the following: 
  1. Notre Dame fire.
  2. The death of Jeffrey Epstein.
  3. A hotly contested election, 
  4. Managers conspiring against their workforce, 
  5. The 9/11 attacks.
• In each case, people preferred the more entertaining conspiracy theory than the truth.
• Participants also tended to endorse the more entertaining version of events.
• Conspiracy theories are very similar to entertaining works of fiction.
• If a conspiracy theory entertains people, they are more likely to believe that theory.
• Believing in conspiracy theories is like most social-psychology influenced by a lot of other factors.

References