Abstract
Many people believe conspiracy theories, even though such beliefs are harmful to themselves and their social environment. What is the appeal of conspiracy theories? In this contribution, I propose that conspiracy theories have psychological benefits by imbuing perceiver's worldview with meaning and purpose in a rewarding manner. Conspiracy theories enable an alternative reality in which perceivers (a) can defend a fragile ego by perceiving themselves and their groups as important, (b) can rationalize any of their beliefs and actions as legitimate, and (c) are entertained through the opportunity to uncover a mystery in an exciting tale. These are short-term benefits, however, suggesting that conspiracy theories provide people with a form of instant gratification.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 101352 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-5 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Current Opinion in Psychology |
Volume | 47 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 5 May 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 The Author(s)
Keywords
- Alternative reality
- Conspiracy theories
- Instant gratification
- Psychological benefits