Losers are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, study finds

[ABX]

.....“We see this play out in our national debates: when Bush was president, Democrats were the ones propagating the conspiracy theories. They put forward theories about 9/11, war for oil, Halliburton, Cheney, Blackwater, etc. When Obama came to office, those theories became socially and politically inert. The prominent conspiracy theories came from Republicans and were about Obama faking his birth certificate, killing the kids at Sandy Hook, Benghazi, etc.”

“Now that Trump is president, the popular conspiracy theories come from Democrats and focus on Trump and Russia,” Uscinski said. “Conspiracy theories follow the ebb and flow of power and losers tend to propagate them the most.”....

http://www.psypost.org/2017/09/losers-likely-believe-conspiracy-theories-study-finds-49694

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

 

We know this is true just from this site.

[Free Vulcan]

Nobody wants to believe in the bad when things are good for them. Just like the year before the Great Depression. But those who paid attention saw the warning signs and took measures before hand.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Nobody wants to believe in the bad when things are good for them. Just like the year before the Great Depression. But those who paid attention saw the warning signs and took measures before hand.

That has nothing to do with this article.

[XenaLee]

Ehhh....yeah.... that's great for people that identify as either a Republican or a Democrat.  But what about all of those of us that identify as neither?   Are we all just 'perma-losers' then?  lolol

Silly premise.  Since.... some conspiracy theories have been proven to be true and factual vs. fiction..... given enough time and effort by those seeking to uncover the truth.   In fact, many conspiracy theories (not all, mind you) concern theories about incidents that have yet to be proven (and will probably never be proven due to too much at stake and too much to lose by those involved).

One such theory involves Senator Teddy Kennedy....and a very inconveniently pregnant Mary Jo.

[Free Vulcan]

That has nothing to do with this article.

Financial cataclysm is certainly part of the conspiracy universe, in many forms and theories.

[ABX]

Ehhh....yeah.... that's great for people that identify as either a Republican or a Democrat.  But what about all of those of us that identify as neither?   Are we all just 'perma-losers' then?  lolol

Silly premise.  Since.... some conspiracy theories have been proven to be true and factual vs. fiction..... given enough time and effort by those seeking to uncover the truth.   In fact, many conspiracy theories (not all, mind you) concern theories about incidents that have yet to be proven (and will probably never be proven due to too much at stake and too much to lose by those involved).

One such theory involves Senator Teddy Kennedy....and a very inconveniently pregnant Mary Jo.

The way I see it, this is far bigger than political, they just use that as an example. They also don't really differentiate if the conspiracy theory turns out to be false, just who is more prone to believe the theory while it is a theory (Benghazi is a good example of this).

As a general rule, if one is on the winning side of a situation, they are less prone to look for or believe in any sort of conspiracy theory about it or around it.

If your football team loses, you are a lot more likely to believe the refs are stacked or conspiring against your team versus if you win.

I've also seen this as a big difference in those who are more prone to believe the most outlandish conspiracy theories in general. For the most part, what I've seen is those who are most likely to believe in chemtrails, aliens, flat earth, etc, are usually some who are on the fringes of society already or who could sometimes be considered the 'losers in life'. They are also far more likely to believe in most or all conspiracy theories presented to them versus the regular Joe may just believe in one or two depending on the media he consumes. They are prone to look for outside circumstances that they can blame on whatever held them back or, on the other hand, because they don't feel powerful or important, they latch on to conspiracy theories as a way to feel special or important, like they are privy to 'special' or 'secret' knowledge that the rest of the 'sheep' aren't. (aka, they aren't a 'sheep'; they are special, enlightened, took the red pill, whatever).

Basically, the authors stumbled on simple human nature.

[Cyber Liberty]

It's a bit of a duh.  Some things you never hear:  "Of course I won!  The media backed me 100%, and I stuffed the ballot boxes!  My opponent never had a chance..."  "My team won by 15 points!  Obviously the refs cheated for us."

[XenaLee]

The way I see it, this is far bigger than political, they just use that as an example. They also don't really differentiate if the conspiracy theory turns out to be false, just who is more prone to believe the theory while it is a theory (Benghazi is a good example of this).

As a general rule, if one is on the winning side of a situation, they are less prone to look for or believe in any sort of conspiracy theory about it or around it.

If your football team loses, you are a lot more likely to believe the refs are stacked or conspiring against your team versus if you win.

I've also seen this as a big difference in those who are more prone to believe the most outlandish conspiracy theories in general. For the most part, what I've seen is those who are most likely to believe in chemtrails, aliens, flat earth, etc, are usually some who are on the fringes of society already or who could sometimes be considered the 'losers in life'. They are also far more likely to believe in most or all conspiracy theories presented to them versus the regular Joe may just believe in one or two depending on the media he consumes. They are prone to look for outside circumstances that they can blame on whatever held them back or, on the other hand, because they don't feel powerful or important, they latch on to conspiracy theories as a way to feel special or important, like they are privy to 'special' or 'secret' knowledge that the rest of the 'sheep' aren't. (aka, they aren't a 'sheep'; they are special, enlightened, took the red pill, whatever).

Basically, the authors stumbled on simple human nature.

Yeah, I get the basic premise.  It's logical to base it on human nature.  But.... when politics is concerned... there is no logic.

As for 'those types' that always believe in every conspiracy theory that comes along... I have known several like that on a couple of other forums that I frequent.  They never met a conspiracy theory they didn't embrace and push as fact....lol.

[EasyAce]

As for 'those types' that always believe in every conspiracy theory that comes along... I have known several like that on a couple of other forums that I frequent.  They never met a conspiracy theory they didn't embrace and push as fact....lol.

@XenaLee
It's to the point where you can now say, "Show me an Internet discussion forum, and I might be able
to show you ten conspiracy theories a week." If not a day. Even in forums where the subject is
music, or music-making.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

@XenaLee
It's to the point where you can now say, "Show me an Internet discussion forum, and I might be able
to show you ten conspiracy theories a week." If not a day. Even in forums where the subject is
music, or music-making.

That's what they want you to think.

[XenaLee]

@XenaLee
It's to the point where you can now say, "Show me an Internet discussion forum, and I might be able
to show you ten conspiracy theories a week." If not a day. Even in forums where the subject is
music, or music-making.

Yep.   ^-^

[skeeter]

I get the premise.

But it would be alot easier to ignore conspiracy theories if the news media were a bit more trustworthy. Or alot more trustworthy.

[XenaLee]

I get the premise.

But it would be alot easier to ignore conspiracy theories if the news media were a bit more trustworthy. Or alot more trustworthy.

Not just the news media....but the former president and secretary of state, as well.   As it is... we KNOW we can't trust the Democrats.  And most of the new media are.... Democrats.  Some even practice witchcraft....lol.

[skeeter]

Not just the news media....but the former president and secretary of state, as well.   As it is... we KNOW we can't trust the Democrats.  And most of the new media are.... Democrats.  Some even practice witchcraft....lol.

When considering conspiracy theories I try to keep precedent in mind. If the theory's basic conditions match a previous occurance, either here or in some other country, then it becomes plausible.

[EasyAce]

That's what they want you to think.

Since when do "they" want me to think? 

[goatprairie]

This goes back to my school days when some underperforming students who were always getting into trouble i.e. screwups would cry that "the teacher doesn't like me" as the reason for their poor performance. As if the student was actually doing well but for some nefarious reason the teacher didn't like them and was deliberately downgrading them.
Which was probably true....I would bet teachers dislike most students who act up in class or don't do their homework.

[anubias]

When considering conspiracy theories I try to keep precedent in mind. If the theory's basic conditions match a previous occurance, either here or in some other country, then it becomes plausible.

Indeed.

[Cyber Liberty]

This goes back to my school days when some underperforming students who were always getting into trouble i.e. screwups would cry that "the teacher doesn't like me" as the reason for their poor performance. As if the student was actually doing well but for some nefarious reason the teacher didn't like them and was deliberately downgrading them.
Which was probably true....I would bet teachers dislike most students who act up in class or don't do their homework.

That was me...a "doesn't do his homework" guy.  I always made it up when it was time to take the tests, because I always aced them.