1) About half of American adults believe in at least one conspiracy theory, such as theories related to 9/11, Obama's birthplace, cancer cures, or the recession. 2) Conspiracy theorists tend to be less trusting, engage in magical thinking, and see meaning where others do not due to traits like schizotypy. They are drawn to alternative explanations because they have a need to understand events and patterns. 3) The internet has enabled online communities for conspiracy theorists on platforms like YouTube and Facebook that welcome conspiratorial thinking and appeal to lonely individuals seeking belonging.

1. Conspiracies
Who believes this stuff?

2. Important Concepts
1) A conspiracy is “a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful
or harmful.”
2) Not all conspiracy theories are false. When they turn out to be true,
they transition from “conspiracy theory” to “history.” Ex. Watergate
3) Conspiracy theorists are not all tinfoil-hat-wearing basement-
dwellers. Many are educated and otherwise well-informed.

3. About half (~50%) of all American adults believe in at least one
common conspiracy theory. Some of the most popular are 9/11
Truthers, Obama Birthers, FDA Cancer Cure, and The Fed Causing The
Recession.
This isn’t that surprising. Humans have some innate qualities that
prime us for conspiracy theory acceptance:
1) We are constantly trying to understand the world around us.
2) We look for patterns to help us do so.
Source: Conspiracy Theories and the Paranoid Style(s) of Mass Opinion

4. Although we look for patterns, we don’t always find them. And
sometimes, we find them when they’re not there.
With that in mind, let’s take a deeper look at some of the
reasons why people start believing in conspiracy theories...

5. “I Don’t Trust You”

6. Conspiracy theorists tend to be less
trusting than most people.
One of the cornerstones of the Flat Earth
Movement is Zetetics, a mode of thought
in which sensory observations are the
supreme form of scientific observation. If
something looks flat to you, then it is flat.
It’s the most extreme form of not
trusting anything that you can’t observe
for yourself- and it also provides a
convenient reason to disregard all
evidence of a round earth. If they
weren’t there to see it, it’s fake.
It also puts the burden of proof on Round
Earthers to prove the sphere.
Prominent Flat Earth Researcher “Mad Mike” Hughes

7. “Mad Mike” Hughes launches his steam powered rocket in an effort to see the curvature of the Earth. This
successful flight reached 1872 feet.
The curvature of the earth can be seen at ~35,000 feet. Almost there, Mike.
Zetetics in Action

8. There are many different ideas within the Flat Earth Movement about
what the model of the Earth really is. Which one you believe isn’t really
important- all that’s important is that you demonstrate constant
skepticism about everything.
Don’t believe the lies that NASA (possibly a Zionist conspiracy) is feeding you.

9. Magical Thinking

10. One of the tools we use to make sense of
the world when reason fails is Magical
Thinking: the idea that we have a
tendency to want to believe in the unseen,
unknown and otherworldly, and that we
sometimes use it to establish links
between unrelated things.
This is where a lot of superstition comes
from, i.e. I got up on the left side of the
bed today, so now it’s going to rain.
In another way, Magical Thinking helps us
partially explain the popularity of cultural
items like Harry Potter, or voodoo dolls.

11. One of the biggest predictors of
conspiratorial thinking is
holding other magical beliefs.
Conspiracy theorists are much
more likely to believe in the
supernatural and paranormal,
and in Biblical prophesy.
Many Flat Earthers are
Evangelicals, which makes
sense, since their model of the
world requires some force
outside of known physics.

12. Internet-Enabled

13. Widespread Internet access
has created communities for
conspiracy theorists. YouTube
is a popular platform for Flat
Earthers, and Facebook is the
choice of chemtrail experts.
The most important part of
these communities is that
they’re incredibly welcoming,
provided you’re
conspiratorially minded.
They appeal to lonely people.

14. Cognitive Biases

15. Projection:
Conspiracy theorists are more
likely to engage in
conspiratorial behaviors
themselves, like spreading
rumors or being suspicious of
others’ motives. If you engage
in this behavior, you probably
assume that others do as
well.

16. Proportionality Bias:
The idea that large events must have
equally large causes.
After the tragic events of Sandy Hook, a
number of people attempted to frame it as
a conspiracy- a false flag operation as a path
to gun control. This was upsetting to many
people, especially parents who had lost
children, who called these theorists cruel
and heartless.
But for some people, the events were too
senseless and tragic. They didn’t want to
accept the possibility of a world in which
innocent children could go to school and
never come home again because of a
random act of violence. So they rationalized
it away.

17. Bullshit Receptivity:
Conspiracy theorists are more likely
to rate nonsensical statements like
“wholeness quiets infinite
phenomena” as profound.
Strange Motivations:
Conspiracy theorists are also more
likely to say that non-human objects
– triangles on a computer screen –
were acting intentionally, and
capable of having goals and
thoughts.
They see meaning and motive
where others do not.

18. Schizotypy
Relatively
Untrusting
Ideologically
Eccentric
Unusual
Perceptual
Experiences
Source: Schizotypy: Looking Back and Moving Forward
Schizotypy:
A constellation of traits that
predict a likelihood to
believe in conspiracy
theories.
People who exhibit signs of
schizotypy are also more
likely to have an elevated
desire to feel like they are
unique.

19. End