Consumed by Conspiracy Theories - RTE
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When facts stop mattering, conspiracy theories fill the void — this piece explores the psychology of why ordinary people get swallowed whole by alternative realities.
Proportionality BiasEpistemic ClosureSocial Identity TheoryBackfire Effect
Theory Briefing
- Conspiracy theories thrive by offering simple, villain-driven explanations for complex, unsettling events — a core feature of proportionality bias.
- Believers often enter a self-reinforcing rabbit hole where each debunked claim is replaced by a deeper one, illustrating epistemic closure in action.
- Social identity plays a key role — joining a conspiracy community provides belonging and purpose, making logical counter-arguments largely ineffective.