Why Do People Fall for Conspiracy Theories?

We quiz Ghayda Hassan, psychology professor

- Courtney Shea

Not that long ago, conspiracies were for wing nuts in tinfoil hats. Now they’re everywhere. What happened?

We’ve definitely seen them gain a lot of momentum in the last few years—the last year, in particular, with COVID-19 and the divisive political climate. Conspiratorial thinking becomes more popular during times of strife and instability. People are scared and they’re looking for explanations.

What’s the distinction between a conspiracy theory and healthy skepticism?

Broadly speaking, a conspiracy theory is a belief that explains an event or a set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot, usually by a powerful organization. In the case of QAnon, it’s the belief that there’s a secret cabal of Satanist pedophiles running a global child sex-trafficking ring and plotting against Donald Trump.