A study has determined that what leads to people to be conspiracy theorists, or “beliefs about cover-ups.”
They rated people’s responses to some common conspiracies, and then gave them a general personality test. These stood out:
a low tolerance of ambiguity
In other words, people who feel insecure or uncomfortable when they don’t know all the answers, or who can’t grasp that some situations are complex, multidimensional, and puzzling even to experts. Presented with a complicated set of issues or events, these folks were more likely to sign on to a hare-brained conspiracy theory that offered an easy answer, even if it was wrong, or an oversimplification.
the world is unfair
There was also a significant correlation between those who believe that the world is fundamentally unfair — from a “human nature” point of view — and those who subscribe to far-fetched theories. Those who believe in an “unjust world,” the researchers found, were also more inclined to believe in shadowy groups pulling the strings.
Source: Yahoo
Other studies have highlighted other traits:
- lack of critical thinking
- (similar) lack of higher education
- low self-esteem / need to feel special
- finding “your tribe”
- narcissism – to stand out among peers and feel superior to the “uninformed” masses
- being part of a select few
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