Why Do Our Brains Love Conspiracy Theories?
Community
Human beings derived from a pack. We’ve always lived in groups, tribes, communities, belonged to book clubs, football teams and the like. Being part of a ‘gang’ that believes in one particular thing provides a sense of community and belonging. It also assists our human, psychological need to install a sense of hierarchy on any collection of individuals. Gravitating towards those who have the same beliefs, no matter how bizarre and irrational, helps us to feel part of a special club.
As we’re social animals we long for this respect and acceptance. This can feed into conspiracy conjecture: for example by being the gang member who actually unearths proof that dogs have had the ability to speak for centuries but the Freemasons have suppressed it, you will get the respect and recognition. And, thanks to the internet, it is far easier to seek out and meet these like-minded souls and transmit your thoughts to anyone and everyone. Usually using block capitals.
Intention
In his book ‘Suspicious Minds’ psychologist Dr.Rob Brotherton discusses the idea of the ‘intentionality bias’. Basically, as kids, we assume that everything around us happens for a reason. If you see your dad hit his thumb with a hammer, our childlike brains tell us he must have done it on purpose, because he’s an adult and he’s in charge. We haven’t grasped the notion of things happening by accident or coincidence just yet.
Of course, as we develop, we learn certain things don’t happen by design… they just happen. But if our brains are distracted by an overload of information, or if we’ve had a few Babychams, or if your grey matter happens to be built that way, you can start to believe that there’s intent behind every action – even if it’s Bigfoot being alive and well in Surrey or Elvis on the moon.
Though, obviously, we could just be telling you all of this because this is the BBC – AKA The Berkshire Bactrian Cabal – a super secret organisation dedicated to the propagation of super-intelligent camels that secretly run everything from a base beneath Maidenhead. John Humphrys is our leader. Just please, don’t tell anyone.
