Angry at injustice? Here’s why you might believe wild conspiracy theories | Health

The results highlight an interesting link between emotions, perceptions of “bad intentions” and belief in mild and extreme conspiracies.

Understanding conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories offer alternative explanations for events, often claiming that powerful groups operate in secret to manipulate outcomes for personal gain, sometimes to the detriment of the common good. From beliefs in government cover-ups to corporate malfeasance, conspiracy theories provide seemingly simple explanations for complex or troubling realities.

These theories are not all equal, as some involve relatively benign intentions – such as the claim that the Earth is flat – while others suggest deeply malicious motivations, such as orchestrating tragic events for power or profit. However, what psychological factors lead some individuals to believe more in these theories?

The role of anger

Eddie Harmon-Jones and his team sought to discover how anger influences conspiracy belief; where they divided conspiracy theories into two categories: those involving low-evil intentions (e.g., concealing the truth about extraterrestrial life) and those involving high-evil intentions (e.g., orchestrating a global pandemic for financial gain) . Their studies explored whether anger amplifies belief in conspiracies, regardless of their perceived level of maliciousness.

Main findings

Researchers conducted two online studies with more than 275 participants in total, examining their belief in 24 conspiracy theories. For each theory, low-level-evil and high-level-evil versions were presented. Participants also completed questionnaires assessing anger, humility, intellectual humility, life satisfaction and general conspiracy mentality – a tendency to suspect that major events are orchestrated by secret groups. Key findings included:

• Anger stimulates belief: Participants with higher levels of anger were more likely to believe both mild and very evil conspiracy theories.
• Theories of evil are more polarizing: Although participants found high-malicious conspiracy theories more malicious, they were less likely to believe them than low-malicious versions.
• Demographic differences: Younger individuals and those with lower levels of education were more likely to believe conspiracy theories, especially those involving mild malicious intent.

Why anger is important

Anger is often triggered by perceived injustice or wrongdoing, emotions exploited by conspiracy theories. Believing that a secret group is causing harm can validate angry feelings and provide an outlet for them. The study suggests that angry individuals may be particularly susceptible to very perverse theories, because these narratives resonate with their emotional state.

The complexity of the conspiracy mentality

Beyond anger, research has identified “conspiracy mentality” as the strongest predictor of belief. This mindset reflects a general tendency to assume hidden intentions behind important events, even without proof. Interestingly, those who believed in low-evil theories were also more likely to believe in high-evil theories, reinforcing the idea that a general distrust of authority underlies conspiracy thinking.

Take away

The study sheds light on how emotions and perceptions of evil influence belief in conspiracy theories and also highlights the need for further research with larger, more diverse populations to better understand these dynamics. For now, the findings highlight an important takeaway: Combating conspiracy beliefs may require more than just debunking false information.

This could involve addressing underlying emotions – such as anger – and fostering trust in institutions, transparency and critical thinking. As society becomes more polarized and misinformation spreads more easily, understanding what drives belief in conspiracy theories can help foster empathy and constructive dialogue.

Whether you’re skeptical or curious about conspiracies, this research offers valuable insights into how emotions and worldviews shape how we perceive the truth.

Study reference:

The study, entitled “Belief in conspiracy theories that differ in their bad intentions: Correlations with anger and other character traits », was conducted by researchers Eddie Harmon-Jones, Kinga Szymaniak, Gabriel Sebban and Cindy Harmon-Jones.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have regarding a health problem.