IndexWhat is a conspiracy theory?Explanations on the conspiracy theoryThe psychological explanationPolitical disaffectionLack of educationInability to deal with bad newsA misunderstanding of the law of probabilityIronic entertainmentEffects and risks of the conspiracy theoryStudies conducted by Thomas Ståhl of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Jan-Willem van Proojien of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam revealed a puzzling result as many of the respondents who scored high in all rational and intellectual parameters adhere to disproven theories. Examples of conspiracy theories include the belief that pharmaceuticals are behind pandemics, the intentional spread of disease, human civilization formed by extraterrestrials, mass shootings and terrorism were schemes organized by the U.S. government, and the Hillary "Pizzagate" trafficking. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Despite tons of scientific evidence against conspiracy theories and the paranormal, a number of Americans still believe in them. 20% believe vaccines cause autism, 37% think global warming is a hoax, 42% believe in ghosts and 41% believe in mystical readings and analyses. In fact, highly educated people in the real world are fooled by conspiracy theories that you would imagine they would consider rubbish. What is a conspiracy theory? A conspiracy theory can be described as a claim that cannot be proven because the truth is hidden by a group of people intent on malicious intent, and therefore the original claim is true. This deeply held belief still persists despite current access to information that can unravel these notions. Experts believe that these derive from some psychological mechanisms caused by evolutionary processes. According to Christopher French, professor of psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, the appeal of conspiracy theories may stem from the way we process information. Once theories take hold, cognitive biases are fueled and further intensified. People tend to accept as true data those that support what they already believe and ignore those that disagree with their beliefs. Reports may be full of inconsistencies, but people who are inclined to uncover evidence of the cover-up will focus on these inconsistencies to strengthen their claims. The Internet contributes enormously to transforming and diffusing these controversies. Conspiracy Theory Explanations People stubbornly cling to conspiracy theories that convince even many naive individuals to believe them. Why is this so? The following are the most likely explanations. The psychological explanation In most cases, conspiracy beliefs are not based on a coherent analysis. Although people are skilled at finding meaningful patterns and their connections to the circumstances around them, there are some cases where their judgments are off. These especially happen when events are out of their control. In this modern world, manic alertness can lead to overinterpretation of visual and auditory manifestations which often leads to fanatical conspiracy theories. For example, the flickering of the streetlight outside the window every time you pick up your coffee cup can be interpreted as a suspicious CIA investigation. Connecting dots that don't actually exist tends to amplify conspiracies. Some people's brains are wired in ways.