There are two topics that the internet is always talking about: conspiracy theory and whether or not a person may be a “narcissist“.
‘s favourite armchair diagnosis is narcissism, which has been a long-standing concern.
Research shows that, although they may seem to be separate concepts, the two are actually closely related.
More than 600 people participated in my New Research that was published in the Journal of Personality and Individual Differences. The results showed higher scores in measures of narcissism to be linked with belief in conspiracy theories and false information.
This result is true no matter how well-educated the participants are.
Head vs Heart
According to scholarly evidence, people with less education tend to be more inclined towards conspiracy theories. But that is only a part of the story.
In the past, conspiracy theories were popular during times of uncertainty. This includes wars, economic recessions, and other widespread hardships (such as COVID).
A prominent explanation is that conspiracy theories serve psychological needs. They can provide answers to questions that are unclear or unresolved, give a feeling of control when identifying an influential group against which to take action, and serve social purposes, like showing others what political groups you belong and signaling loyalty to them.
I was curious to know when and why educated people “fall into the rabbit hole” as well, and what psychological needs they have that lead them to this.
The study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the research.
In two studies , we asked 660 adults to fill out a series questionnaires measuring narcissistic characteristics. These included:
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Grandiosity is a feeling of superiority and entitlement.
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Needing to be different (wanting something special to stand out and be different from others).
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And a need for a “cognitive closing”: a desire to have concrete answers, and to see things in black and white.
Participants were asked to rate their belief in various conspiracy theories. The participants were asked to give examples. For example, “the assassination was not carried out by a lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald but rather was a planned, detailed conspiracy to kill President Kennedy”.
The study also tried to separate true information from false information, such as “Ebola virus caused by US nuclear weapons testing, new study says”.
Participants had different levels of education – from just a high school diploma to a doctorate or masters. The participants also held a wide range of political views.
People with higher narcissistic traits are more likely to accept conspiracy theories and false information.
This is true regardless of the level of education.
These traits may be able to offset differences in education. These traits are above average and highly educated individuals were equally likely to hold these beliefs.
What could this be?
Education provides skills such as critical thinking, evaluating evidence and understanding how to find the truth.
Humans are good at ” Motivated Reasoning“, which is when they use their reasoning skills to reach conclusions that we like, because they want to believe it.
This type of reasoning can be linked to unfounded belief – beliefs without evidence. People who feel superior to others, need to feel special or want a concrete answer in uncertain times may use reasoning to hold beliefs that are not supported by evidence.
According to my research, even educated people can be affected by this.
What can we use this information for?
It’s crucial to understand that there are many factors which determine what people believe and how they feel about it. This includes the personality traits and thinking style mentioned above, as well other factors such as identity, how individuals view themselves, and their support of the groups to which they belong.
Even highly educated individuals can resist changing their minds if they feel threatened by psychological needs. When discussing controversial issues, it’s important to remember these factors. It doesn’t matter if you are talking to family members, friends or people who hold opposing political opinions.
It is important to consider our own needs and motivations, as well as how they may influence our opinions. This could help to improve the social discourse and find common ground.
