UFO files: US Department of War releases second batch of files sparking wild theories ... - The Nightly
thenightly.com.au
When governments release UFO files, mass belief and debunking collide — revealing how confirmation bias and social contagion shape what millions choose to see.
Confirmation BiasSocial Contagion TheoryEpistemic ClosureBayesian Reasoning
Theory Briefing
- The US Department of War's second batch of UFO files triggered immediate polarisation on X, with users split between belief and outright debunking.
- Confirmation bias drives both camps: believers seize on ambiguous footage as proof, while sceptics dismiss the same evidence without deeper analysis.
- The viral spread of 'wild theories' online mirrors social contagion theory, where dramatic narratives outcompete mundane explanations in public discourse.