/r/ConspiracyPsychology

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For research articles, questions and discussion about The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories.

This is not a forum for evaluating specific conspiracy theories: all posts and discussion should be focused on the PSYCHOLOGY of conspiracy theory belief and conspiracy theorists.

Assumptions and beliefs about whether a given conspiracy theory is correct or incorrect are NOT relevant to this discussion. Uncertainty should be assumed.

For research articles, questions and discussion about The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

This is not a forum for evaluating specific conspiracy theories: all posts and discussion should be focused on the PSYCHOLOGY of conspiracy theory belief and conspiracy theorists.

Assumptions and beliefs about whether a given conspiracy theory is correct or incorrect are NOT relevant to this discussion. Uncertainty should be assumed.

/r/ConspiracyPsychology

8,108 Subscribers

52

US Elections are Quite Secure, Actually

The perception of US elections as legitimate has come under increasing attack in recent years. Widespread accusations of both voter fraud and voter suppression undermine confidence in the system. Back in the day, these concerns would have aligned with reality. Fraud and suppression were once real problems. Today? Not so much. This piece dives deeply into the data landscape to examine claims of voter fraud and voter suppression, including those surrounding the 2020 election, and demonstrates that, actually, the security of the US election system is pretty darn good.

https://americandreaming.substack.com/p/us-elections-are-quite-secure-actually

1 Comment
2024/10/23
14:46 UTC

40

The QAnon-ification of the World

For all that Americans worry about foreign countries influencing their politics, it is American culture wars that are increasingly exported abroad. This article explores how QAnon and other MAGA conspiracy theories have taken root in the US and then spread to Eastern Europe, along with the global influence of Trumpism, especially concerning LGBT people.

https://americandreaming.substack.com/p/the-qanon-ification-of-the-world

1 Comment
2024/10/18
14:26 UTC

1

Help with conspiracy/Qanon'd family member?

Hey i could really use some help.

well, a family member is about to make some very, very, very drastic life choices very soon. i'm being pretty euphemistic, but it's pretty drastic. this is because of them seeing stuff on Twitter. Just recently stuff with the Q symbol has started to appear on their stuff, so they're moving into Qanon territory too (without knowing what Qanon is yet). I'm pretty shocked. I'm doing the best I can. But hey if I can get some help, please do.

I have so much work to do, and it includes pointing out to them how to determine fact from fiction online, but i mean you can imagine there's a big gulf between how I use the internet and how this person uses the internet and more or less believes everything they see.

Please do help or give pointers. Thanks.

1 Comment
2024/09/02
23:32 UTC

15

Cult Speak

One of the best videos that explain cult speak to the average person.

Cult Speak - PBS

0 Comments
2024/06/26
17:59 UTC

15

New Moderation--Subreddit Back Open!

Hello all,

This subreddit has been closed for some time now as it did not have any moderators. I have been approved to moderate this subreddit and have re-opened it to the public. There have only been very minor changes to some rules so please familiarize yourselves.

The focus of this subreddit will remain the same as it was before, without attempting to sell users on classes. What this means is that this subreddit is to be used for the discussion of the phenomenon of conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists, and not for the validation or invalidation of any specific theories or beliefs.

1 Comment
2024/06/15
02:19 UTC

13

High School Senior Studying Social Media Misinformation and Its Relationship to Conspiracy and Cult Formation

Hello everyone, I am currently a high school senior I am conducting a research project on the relationship between conspiracies and the formation of cults online. This is a topic that I have been interested in for the past few years of high school. It is a graduation requirement. I'm unable to collect data at my school as my topic is rather niche and my teacher did not allow me to interview anyone in my school. I would appreciate it if you guys took about 5 minutes to complete my survey, it is completely anonymous and it only consists of 4 questions. Thank you so much for reading this far and I hope you consider taking my survey!

6 Comments
2024/03/21
17:21 UTC

12

Prof Sheldon Solomon on Terror Management Theory (the psychological function of cultural beliefs and the defense against those who undermine them). The psychology of both conspiracy theories and anti conspiracy sentiment (when the conspiracy is directed at your group/ belief).

1 Comment
2024/01/31
16:46 UTC

38

Disjointed Communication Styles & Conspiracy Grifters

I have a Q-Relative who runs a Conspiracy Podcast and Rumble Videos. I notice a lot of his Grifters.... errr Guests have disjointed communication styles. I don't get the fascination with these grifters. I don't understand how anyone can make any sense of what they are saying, or publishing in books and/or online.

Is this a sign of mental illness, or is it some sort of deliberate gish gabble amongst grifters to wear you down to the point you will believe anything?

28 Comments
2024/01/06
15:40 UTC

14

How did conspiracy theories become mainstream? | Naomi Klein | Big Questions 12m50s

0 Comments
2023/12/07
01:59 UTC

16

Why Smart People Become Conspiracy Theorists (with Naomi Klein and Adam Conover)

2 Comments
2023/11/29
17:45 UTC

35

How to rehabilitate my husband from his addiction to conspiracy theories

Hello, my husband of over 20 years has been addicted to conspiracy theories since the Boston bombings. He has added many different conspiracies to the list over the years and has bombarded family and friends by texting, emailing or just ranting. Over the years he has resorted to name calling, getting angry and just plain verbal abuse if family members do not agree with him or challenge his thinking. He has been verbally abusive to me as well.

Has anyone been successful with marriage counseling and addressing these issues? I just don't know if there's any hope and if anyone has experience with rehabilitation, please share.

10 Comments
2023/09/27
07:22 UTC

12

History Is Written by Historians, Not Victors

A critique of the popular notion that “history is written by the victors”, with counterexamples including the US Civil War, Napoleon Bonaparte, the British Empire, the modern-day US, and Ancient Rome, Greece, and Persia.

https://americandreaming.substack.com/p/history-is-written-by-historians

2 Comments
2023/09/24
13:24 UTC

5

Institutions and the Reallocation of Trust

It’s no secret that we’re living through a crisis of institutional trust. It’s evident in polling, political discourse, and the everyday attitudes we encounter. Many of us have lost faith in our institutions, but that trust isn’t vanishing into thin air. It’s migrating to other places. This piece explores the places we’re now putting more trust in, the problems with them, what it means to be a true skeptic, and where we go from here.

https://americandreaming.substack.com/p/institutions-and-the-reallocation

0 Comments
2023/09/19
13:16 UTC

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