US EditionOverconfident conspiracy theorists: Many unaware their beliefs are on the fringe
4 Articles
4 Articles
Overconfident conspiracy theorists: Many unaware their beliefs are on the fringe
Overconfidence is a hallmark trait of people who believe in conspiracies, and they also significantly overestimate how much others agree with them, Cornell psychology researchers have found. The study indicates that belief in conspiracies may be less about a person's needs and motivations and more about their failure to recognize that they might be wrong.
Theories of conspiracy occupy a great place in the media coverage of the phenomenon of false news. The pandemic seems to have been a particularly fertile ground for them. What is it really? The Rumour Detector wondered if we really lived the age of conspiracyists. This article is part of the section of the Rumor Detector, click here for the other texts.
Overconfident Minds Fuel Belief in Fringe Conspiracy Theories
New research reveals that people who believe in conspiracy theories tend to be overconfident and unaware of how unusual their views really are. Across eight studies, participants who believed in false conspiracies consistently overestimated their performance on cognitive tests and thought the majority of others agreed with them—even when they were in a clear minority.
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