Thread: The science of conspiracy theorists

Came across this and thought it was pretty interesting and detailed look into why people believe conspiracy theories. I'm sure there will be disagreement, and personally will admit into knowing little of the validity of it, but still it is food for thought at the very least.

Why Rational People Buy Into Conspiracy Theories--New York Times

Originally Posted by Maggie Koerth-Baker

...Since Hofstadter’s book was published, our access to information has vastly improved, which you would think would have helped minimize such wild speculation. But according to recent scientific research on the matter, it most likely only serves to make theories more convincing to the public. What’s even more surprising is that this sort of theorizing isn’t limited to those on the margins. Perfectly sane minds possess an incredible capacity for developing narratives, and even some of the wildest conspiracy theories can be grounded in rational thinking, which makes them that much more pernicious. Consider this: 63 percent of registered American voters believe in at least one political conspiracy theory, according to a recent poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University.

While psychologists can’t know exactly what goes on inside our heads, they have, through surveys and laboratory studies, come up with a set of traits that correlate well with conspiracy belief. In 2010, Swami and a co-author summarized this research in The Psychologist, a scientific journal. They found, perhaps surprisingly, that believers are more likely to be cynical about the world in general and politics in particular. Conspiracy theories also seem to be more compelling to those with low self-worth, especially with regard to their sense of agency in the world at large. Conspiracy theories appear to be a way of reacting to uncertainty and powerlessness...

DG is channeling lazurus?

Nope just seem some of those things that never happened and find it amusing that people make tin foil hat remarks at people for them to only be right a year or two later.

Originally Posted by deathgodusmc

Nope just seem some of those things that never happened and find it amusing that people make tin foil hat remarks at people for them to only be right a year or two later.

^^ Yup. That.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you.

Just because something sounds crazy doesn't make it untrue.

And as previously said on this thread, never underestimate a politician's greed or ambition.

If a few turn out to be true, it makes others easier to believe. Personally, I tend to be skeptical until hard evidence comes out. According to the OP, that means I am confident of myself and my place in the world. Probably true.

Sent from my S3 using Tapatalk

the truth is out there or something like that acording to some tv show aparently one i never watched

the best tv series that has ever existed in the existence of television and mankind: The X-Files.

mt seems like such an x files kinda guy