252 | Why People Believe Conspiracy Theories

Published: March 9, 2022, 2:15 p.m.

The majority of people who buy into conspiracy theories are victims of fraud. Unfortunately, they can become zealous, proselytizing mouthpieces for those conspiracies, which makes them unsympathetic to many. Conspiracies primarily work by exploiting human biases and insecurities. Listen in to find out more about why your weird friend is dedicated to their crystals and mythological beliefs.

Recommendations
- Abraham: Spreaker.com
- Shane: The Book of Boba Fett (https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/the-book-of-boba-fett)

Resources and Links

1. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/23/conspiracy-theories-internet-survivors-truth
2. https://youtu.be/ru4yrQFH1Uc
3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00280/full
4. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/conspiracy-theories
5. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0963721417718261
6. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00205/full
7. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ex-qanon-followers-cult-conspiracy-theory-pizzagate-1064076/
8. https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/12-crazy-conspiracy-theories-actually-turned-out-be-true
9. https://www.psypost.org/2018/11/people-who-see-patterns-where-none-exist-are-more-receptive-to-pseudo-profound-bullshit-52657
10. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.2331
11. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-some-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories/
12. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/13/996570855/disinformation-dozen-test-facebooks-twitters-ability-to-curb-vaccine-hoaxes
13. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/technology/birds-arent-real-gen-z-misinformation.html
14. https://news.artnet.com/opinion/curiosities-birds-arent-real-google-indie-aesthetics-2048616