The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories: Why Do People Believe?

[{"selector":"#anim-d71205af-86c3-4c18-9201-93bef7048668","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f8ae57d9-6eca-46fb-81a3-a9443b47bd2a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.45784%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? From fear to control, here are the hidden psychological triggers behind this viral behavior. Earn 1 Lakh Online

Desire for Certainty

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Need for Control

[{"selector":"#anim-5f8ee093-d1f8-4b97-8700-033e363d966f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95e066d2-b9bc-45c9-ad8f-b9566d3b50fa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-270.00007%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a36d87d8-ea3c-4977-bd35-ec9a50858748","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3525bad-e0c3-4951-8564-afb0ed32d033","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(107.85498%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57cda1e5-e5b4-44bc-81e8-729381b1669d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b02c776b-8c71-47ca-a233-fee40b8c6bb4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.40506%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b836d648-1b43-437f-9f9b-4aa69ae91376","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e96e6cd-6517-4baf-8cc2-90fed6814214","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1889.47383%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 2 Believing in hidden plots gives people a false sense of control in a chaotic world—it's easier to blame than accept randomness. Earn 1 Lakh Online

Group Identity & Belonging

[{"selector":"#anim-17922b7c-6cec-4fea-9d32-252163ff827c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bef6ec74-ce28-43d8-958b-af2b1f2c9aef","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-260.00014%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19f91423-d873-4d2f-b552-b690bdd1f82f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6ce405b9-29e6-45b4-a646-d077ce344926","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(107.69231%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18f63be6-c83c-4e54-94b6-e548bbff1765","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5416c96-9229-4c93-bbdc-ed326989c467","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.88312%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ee4066e-bff0-4a0c-939b-e044aa7fc7c9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f3fde4d-fcef-4a65-903e-1887fe76ea7f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1894.73702%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 3 “Us vs Them” thinking fuels belief. Conspiracy groups offer a sense of belonging to those who feel unheard or excluded. Earn 1 Lakh Online

Pattern-Seeking Brain

[{"selector":"#anim-7bda03c7-4b01-4499-92c7-63c670c467cb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68ebcccf-b78a-4a7c-9676-1cd9efdb2815","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-250.00007%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6af1733-5379-4095-ab29-2bbf35326991","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-723921ba-30c4-4823-8bb5-922e4ea9934b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(119.73683%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ae3c5573-dfab-474d-ab72-15e0b53f9c45","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-294165ad-081a-40c5-b8c4-8afd9a811639","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.2524%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f3af7da-1e93-414f-8cb0-91e0f7a36490","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b3f175c6-d677-4ab8-a047-63bcdad74305","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1900.00022%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 4 Humans are wired to find patterns—even when none exist. Conspiracy theories exploit this mental shortcut. Earn 1 Lakh Online

Social Media Amplifies Belief

[{"selector":"#anim-d26a2b06-b159-46fe-8bab-36d0ff1f367e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b7ae074-388e-49df-a302-4e6efd8f5a3c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-260.00014%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b350bef-3443-405c-9b4e-13b010742175","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e51cfa8b-1781-4657-a8d8-408e4062f73a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a54fad0-dcbb-4942-86ec-d777a67a196a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-378a7f5f-4f61-46f8-8ab1-9d7cd427e53b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cbeaafe3-f01a-4074-83b8-8189a328cd59","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3dd6455d-09ae-4ae7-9ce7-989e5d60746e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1905.26341%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 5 Echo chambers and viral posts make false info feel true. Likes and shares act like “proof” for conspiracy thinkers. Earn 1 Lakh Online

Feeling Special or “Awake”

[{"selector":"#anim-d7bbb159-39c9-4c67-a341-2340919252dc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25dc5ca7-f8b0-4c59-ac69-343b01a45304","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-253.33342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2e26a01-011e-402b-a06d-473f9fc80a4a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c37f1aff-af7e-4c3c-bd64-fe007b47e692","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(110.36586%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-364c683f-9284-4cac-ac6a-1621b7023d41","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ded9706-0730-45ca-acac-5fc76c27c595","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.72327%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61a61ff6-4c2d-467b-9455-1d0c60492695","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67b47c79-1f63-4bca-bf12-2fa608d1489a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(1905.26341%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":50,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 6 Believers often feel smarter than others for “knowing the truth.” This illusion boosts self-worth and ego. Earn 1 Lakh Online