re: #296 JHW

Conspiracy theory enthusiasts all seem to have in common a victim mentality coupled with strong feelings of self pity.

There is an extremely cool experiment that was done last year. The researchers used three tests to connect lack of control with hyperactive pattern recognition (i.e., a tendency to believe in superstition and conspiracies).

The upshot is, the more powerless you feel, the more likely you are to perceive patterns where none exist.

link

This is just common sense, in a way, but it’s very cool that there’s empirical data to support that.

It makes sense that we’d see a burst of conspiracy theories right after 9/11, an event that made many people feel helpless and powerless, and right now, when the economic situation is as bad as it is. Add to that the residual racism being brought out by the election of a black POTUS.

There are always people who are prone to conspiracy theories of course, but external conditions can affect that too.