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Title: Conspiracy Theorists Really Do See The World Differently, New Study Shows
Source:
sciencealert.com
URL Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/conspi ... n-perception-cognitive-science
Published: Oct 23, 2017
Author: Signe Dean
Post Date: 2017-12-22 04:05:55 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 1374
Comments: 24
To a conspiracy theorist, the world is not what it seems. Invisible threads link seemingly unrelated concepts, and there's no such thing as a random coincidence. Researchers have been scratching their heads for years over what makes some people more conspiratorially inclined. Now a recent study has finally tracked down one of the faulty thinking patterns. As it turns out, we all use it - but these people use it too much. A team of psychologists from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands and the University of Kent in the UK has determined that conspiracy theorists are hooked on something called 'illusory pattern perception'. "People often hold irrational beliefs, which we broadly define here as unfounded, unscientific, and illogical assumptions about the world," the team writes in the study. "Although many irrational beliefs exist, belief in conspiracy theories and belief in the supernatural are particularly prevalent among ordinary, nonpathological citizens." In other words, conspiracy theorists are not "nuts". They're totally sane, which makes their beliefs all the more puzzling - until we realise that they actually see the world quite differently. Illusory pattern perception is a pretty simple concept. It happens whenever we find a meaningful pattern in random stimuli, drawing correlations and even causation where none has actually occurred. For example, you might have a dream about an elderly relative, and then receive news the following day that the relative has passed away. For some people that would be enough to conclude that their dreams can predict the future. We all do this with patterns to some extent, because that's how our brains work - and it's a useful tool for drawing conclusions about an environment full of cause, effect, and potential danger. You may think illusory pattern perception is an obvious explanation for what's going on with conspiracy theorists. And it's true that researchers have assumed this phenomenon plays a role, but turns out they haven't actually been testing it. "[I]t is surprising how little direct empirical evidence there is available to support the role of illusory pattern perception in irrational beliefs in general, and particularly in the domain of conspiracy theories," the team writes in the study. To tackle this problem, the team devised a series of experiments. After recruiting 264 American adults, they started by assessing the participants' belief in both common and made-up conspiracy theories, on a scale of 1 to 9. Amongst the conspiracies were things like "Ebola is a man-made virus," "the moon landing was a hoax," and the fictitious "the extract 'testiculus taurus' found in Red Bull has unknown side effects." The researchers also ranked the participants' supernatural beliefs before moving on to a series of experiments designed to test whether people with high belief scores in conspiracies and supernatural stuff would also be more inclined to spot patterns in complete randomness. After testing the subject's inclination for patterns on randomly generated coin tosses (conspiracy theorists found more patterns) the team moved on to pattern spotting in modernist artworks by Victor Vasarely (whose geometric works have obvious patterns) and Jackson Pollock (whose paint splatters are much more random, and any patterns spotted are more likely to be imaginary). Curiously, conspiratorial and supernatural beliefs were only correlated with pattern spotting in Pollock's artwork, whereas people who spotted geometric patterns showed no specific inclinations towards any irrational beliefs. Overall, this study has generated some pretty compelling evidence that our need to make sense of the world by generating patterns really goes into overdrive in those who veer towards conspiracy theories. "We conclude that illusory pattern perception is a central cognitive ingredient of beliefs in conspiracy theories and supernatural phenomena," the team writes. And that's super-useful to know. As infuriating as it may be to find yourself up late having an internet fight with a conspiracy theorist, remind yourself that they actually see the world differently, and might even be feeling lonely. The research was published in the European Journal of Social Psychology. Poster Comment: So, there....now you all know too. "We conclude that illusory pattern perception is a central cognitive ingredient of beliefs in conspiracy theories and supernatural phenomena," the team writes.
I knew it....I just knew it....I knew it all along and I have been trying to tell everyone there was a reason why conspiracy theorists are freaks.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 21.
#7. To: Gatlin (#0)
(Edited)
conspiracy theorists are freaks Mainstream "conspiracy theorist freaks": "The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes." "The governments of the present day have to deal not merely with other governments, with emperors, kings and ministers, but also with the secret societies which have everywhere their unscrupulous agents, and can at the last moment upset all the governments' plans. " "Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men's views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the Field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it." "The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the Government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson." "We are grateful to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subject to the bright lights of publicity during those years. But, the work is now much more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national autodetermination practiced in past centuries."
Mainstream "conspiracy theorist freaks": While I easily recognize there is an exposure of conspiracy theorists across all walks of life and even in high positions of government....yet the most certain stereotypes that stick in my mind and refuse to be disproved are those who have a strong sense of exclusion, feeling lost in the events of the world, while rejecting the political system as a whole since they have a complete distrust in all aspects of political institutions. These are the ragtag true freaks who are incongruously varied in character. And they don’t vote, or when they do vote....they vote for extremes. It is people like these who are real suckers for conspiracy theories, and it’s a sign their problem is of a deep social malaise. Are you getting the message?
You'd be a fool to not have complete distrust in all aspects of "political institutions".
You just flat out admitted to being what some of the highly intelligent posters have continually charged you as being. With your inadvertent slip of the keys….you just flat out ADMITTED TO BEING AN ARARCHIST. Right out of the latest edition of Merriam-Webster: That’s you….you just admitted that’s you. Don’t you try to squirm or chisel your way out of it by back-peddling. Furthermore it would be no surprise, judging from you Devil-like posts, that you are also a self-styled nihilist. God have mercy on your poor lost soul …
Getting really desperate to paint me with that label aren't you? Definition of anarchist: A person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power. Here's what I posted, in case you didn't read it the first time: You'd be a fool to not have complete distrust in all aspects of "political institutions". Big difference. Huge. ...what some of the highly intelligent posters have continually charged you as being. What, you mean you and GrandIsland? "Highly intelligent"? Don't make me laugh. Furthermore it would be no surprise, judging from you Devil-like posts... Seriously? That's the best you can come up with? ...you are also a self-styled nihilist. And your insanity continues unabated. Nice the way you took the entire thread off topic by getting in a few unintelligent slams at me personally. But then that's what I have come to expect from you. I will restate my original post: You'd be a fool to not have complete distrust in all aspects of "political institutions". I wouldn't expect someone like you who worships all thing government to understand that. Here's some free advice - the government is NOT your friend. They lie to you constantly. Nice talking at you Parsons.
Getting really desperate to paint me with that label aren't you? Sonny boy, I have not painted you anything. You are a self-confessed anarchist. You openly admitted to being an anarchist and your confession stands a matter of record. I cannot understand why you anarchists are so adverse to self-admission. But then I really don’t trouble myself and only think about is for one passing moment.
Must reading for Gatlin -
#23. To: Deckard (#21)
(Edited)
Is this the book that got you started on your way, Arky?
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestTo a conspiracy theorist, the world is not what it seems.
Benjamin Disraeli, first Prime Minister of England, in a novel he published in 1844 called Coningsby, the New Generation,
Woodrow Wilson,The New Freedom (1913)
A letter written by FDR to Colonel House, November 21st, l933
David Rockefeller, founder of the Trilateral Commission, in an address to a meeting of The Trilateral Commission, in June, 1991.
#14. To: Deckard (#7)
#16. To: Gatlin, Hondo68, tpaine (#14)
a complete distrust in all aspects of political complete distrust in all aspects of political institutions
#17. To: Deckard (#16)
You'd be a fool to not have complete distrust in all aspects of "political institutions".
Yep…YEP….see THERE. You do know what you just did, don’t you? You don’t? Well then I, as your guardian of all facts, am here today on this open forum to tell you exactly what you just did….and I will hold no punches. Definition of anarchist: A person who rebels against any authority, established order, or ruling power.
#18. To: Gatlin (#17)
(Edited)
you just flat out ADMITTED TO BEING AN ARARCHIST.
#19. To: Deckard (#18)
you just flat out ADMITTED TO BEING AN ARARCHIST.
#21. To: Gatlin (#19)
Replies to Comment # 21. 
End Trace Mode for Comment # 21.
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