Conspiracy Belief

Conspiracy Belief

Reviewed by Faisal Zaidi

Acceptance of an explanation in which a hidden group is responsible for events; researchers describe epistemic, existential and social motives behind it.

What it is

Karen Douglas, Robbie Sutton and Aleksandra Cichocka propose that belief in conspiracy theories is driven by three kinds of motive: wanting to understand one's surroundings, wanting to feel safe and in control, and wanting to keep a positive image of oneself and one's group. They argue that believers are not indiscriminate and should not be dismissed as gullible.

In effect

In the article on why people believe conspiracy theories, it is the frame for the whole question: what needs such explanations meet.

What it does not say

It describes motives in general terms. It does not judge any particular belief or the people who hold one, and research on whether the beliefs actually meet these needs is still limited.

Sources

  1. Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2017). The psychology of conspiracy theories. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(6), 538-542.
  2. Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2019). Belief in conspiracy theories. In The Social Psychology of Gullibility. Routledge.