Why conspiracy theories can be so irresistible
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People who prefer structured, rule-based explanations may find conspiracy theories appealing because they offer a clear, ordered explanation for events that feel chaotic. New research led by Flinders University has found that understanding how someone processes information can be a strong predictor of whether they are drawn to conspiracy beliefs that can influence vaccine uptake, trust in institutions and responses to emergencies.’
Rather than pointing to poor reasoning, the study highlights the role of a thinking style known as “systemizing,” a strong drive to identify patterns and make sense of events through consistent rules, in shaping how people interpret complex information.
The study, led by Flinders University’s Dr. Neophytos Georgiou, an expert in conspiracy belief research, and published in the journal Cognitive Processing, examined more than 550 people to understand why some individuals show an increased interest in conspiracy explanations.
“People often assume conspiracy beliefs form because someone isn’t thinking critically,” says Dr. Georgiou from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work.
“But our findings show that for those who prefer systematic structure, conspiracy theories can feel like a highly organized way to understand confusing or unpredictable events.”
In the study, the team identified different thinking profiles and found that individuals who strongly liked patterns and structure were more likely to believe conspiracy theories, even when they demonstrated good scientific reasoning skills.
Read more https://phys.org/news/2026-02-conspiracy-theories-irresistible.html
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