Q
Why do people believe conspiracy theories?
A
Expert Answer
Psychological factors include: need for certainty in uncertain times, pattern-seeking tendencies, proportionality bias (big events need big causes), need for uniqueness/special knowledge, and motivated reasoning. Social factors include distrust of institutions and in-group identity signaling.
Key Insight
Psychological factors include: need for certainty in uncertain times, pattern-seeking tendencies, proportionality bias (big events need big causes), need for uniqueness/special knowledge, and motivated reasoning.
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