Ever wondered why some people are drawn to conspiracy theories? In this episode of 'We Heal Together', Cordelia takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of conspiracy theories, uncovering the reasons behind their allure and the impacts they have on our lives. With a blend of research and personal insights, she sheds light on why these theories offer a sense of connection during uncertain times but also contribute to anxiety and mistrust.

Cordelia explores various factors like schizotypy and populist attitudes that make some individuals more prone to believing in conspiracies. She doesn't just stop at the 'why'; she also provides practical advice on how to engage with friends or family members who are caught up in these beliefs. This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the psychological and social underpinnings of conspiracy theories and looking for ways to navigate conversations around them.

Tune in to 'We Heal Together' and join Cordelia in this enlightening discussion.

Cordelia unpacks why people believe in conspiracy theories, their impacts, and how to cope with them on 'We Heal Together'.

Understanding Conspiracy Theories: Why They Matter and How to Cope

PODCAST INFO<ul><li>A new podcast episode drops every Monday.</li><li>Music credit: L-Ray Music, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.</li><li>Learn more about your host, Cordelia, by clicking <a href="https://www.cordeliahealtogether.com/who-is-cordelia">here</a></li><li>Be sure to follow Cordelia on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/codependentrecovery/">@codependentrecovery</a></li></ul>--------- WORKBOOK + COMMUNITY + RESOURCES<ul><li>Want access to free resources? Click <a href="https://www.cordeliahealtogether.com/free-resources">here</a></li><li>Need help finding a therapist? Click <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/10yUktC6xdgeQhC4IdgsScGEoDNV1e7b5/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a></li><li>Check out Cordelia's book recommendations <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/wehealtogether" target="_blank">here</a><ul><li>Disclosure: Cordelia is an affiliate of Bookshop.org and she will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.</li></ul></li><li>Are you going through a breakup or divorce?  <a href="https://www.cordeliahealtogether.com/buytheworkbook">Here </a>is the link to the 98-page workbook.  Print version + ebook version available worldwide.</li><li>Want to join the community (i.e., community club or book club)? Click <a href="https://www.cordeliahealtogether.com/community" target="_blank">here</a></li><li>Interested in any other affiliate links? Click <a href="https://www.cordeliahealtogether.com/affiliate-links" target="_blank">here</a><ul><li>Note: affiliate links mean Cordelia earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase.</li></ul></li></ul>--------- CITATIONS<ul><li><a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/conspiracy-theory" target="_blank">Definition of conspiracy theory</a></li><li><a href="https://www.spsp.org/news-center/announcements/psychology-conspiracy-theories-extremist-groups " target="_blank">Increase in attention, not increase in belief </a></li><li>Studies referenced:<ul><li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajps.12084" target="_blank">One study found that half of all Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory.</a></li><li><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721417718261" target="_blank">2013 study: over a third of Americans believe that global warming is a hoax.</a></li><li><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721417718261" target="_blank">2013 study: over half of Americans believe that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in the assassination of John F. Kennedy</a></li><li>COVID<ul><li><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/coronavirus-conspiracy-beliefs-mistrust-and-compliance-with-government-guidelines-in-england/9D6401B1E58F146C738971C197407461" target="_blank">A May 2020 online survey of 2,501 adults in England found that 25 percent of respondents believe unproven COVID-19 conspiracy theories.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795362030575X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">In October 2020…</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/a-theory-about-conspiracy-theories.html" target="_blank">More than 1 in 3 Americans believe that the Chinese government engineered the coronavirus as a weapon, and another third are convinced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has exaggerated the threat of Covid-19 to undermine President Trump.</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-people-latch-on-to-conspiracy-theories-according-to-science " target="_blank">A handful of people set 5G telecommunications towers ablaze after reading social media posts that alleged the new technology can cause COVID-19. </a></li><li>Voter/Election<ul><li><a href="https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=3686" target="_blank">A January 2021 poll of 1,239 U.S. voters found that 77 percent of Republican respondents believe there was widespread election fraud, despite courts ruling otherwise.</a><ul><li>See also:<ul><li><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-people-latch-on-to-conspiracy-theories-according-to-science " target="_blank">"Attorney General William Barr said last month that the U.S. Justice Department has found no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell—a Republican ally of Trump through much of his presidency—recently called some of Trump’s voter fraud claims “sweeping conspiracy theories.”</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></li><li>Why do people believe them?<ul><li><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-4690335#citation-1" target="_blank">The need for certainty & knowledge</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-4690335" target="_blank">Conspiracy theories offer explanations that provide this connection during uncertainty.  They want to know what happened.</a></li><li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/acp.3798" target="_blank">COVID Example</a></li><li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/acp.3301" target="_blank">A person's education level also can influence this..</a></li><li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/acp.3301" target="_blank">Confirmation Bias</a></li></ul></li><li>The need for control<ul><li><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721417718261" target="_blank">when feeling anxious</a></li><li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/0162-895X.00160" target="_blank">when they feel powerless</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/the-psychology-behind-conspiracy-theories#Why-do-people-believe-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank">The need to feel good about themselves</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5724570/" target="_blank">Feel unique</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/the-psychology-behind-conspiracy-theories#Why-do-people-believe-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank">They see a benefit in it</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/the-psychology-behind-conspiracy-theories#Why-do-people-believe-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank">"For example, someone may strongly prefer that a certain political candidate win an election because they think that person will keep them physically and financially safe. Other people may not want to believe climate change is real because they work or invest in the coal industry."</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-people-latch-on-to-conspiracy-theories-according-to-science?cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dcrm-email%3A%3Asrc%3Dngp%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3DScience_20210113&rid=46E1F94DC8FA556F656AAEFBCF9091B7&fbclid=IwAR0eUQqX3-NWgUbfSwjJ8S9PWrH24LnzF_2ni9xw9f_PlASBvjanxhYdm6E" target="_blank">Collective Narcissism </a><ul><li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26511288/" target="_blank">Study</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-39057-001" target="_blank">Certain personality factors make people more prone to believe conspiracy theories.</a><ul><li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jopy.12588" target="_blank">Another study</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2053168021993979" target="_blank">Ideas of populism</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2021/02/populism-and-conservative-media-linked-to-covid-19-conspiracy-beliefs-among-both-republicans-and-democrats-59753 " target="_blank">Conservative media consumption</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/the-psychology-behind-conspiracy-theories#Why-do-people-believe-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank">Social Connection</a></li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/the-psychology-behind-conspiracy-theories#Why-do-people-believe-conspiracy-theories" target="_blank">Pride</a></li></ul></li><li>Consequences<ul><li><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2021/04/belief-in-covid-19-conspiracy-theories-linked-to-increases-in-anxiety-according-to-new-research-60232 " target="_blank">Increased anxiety and negative schemas</a></li><li>Society<ul><li>Capitol Hill<ul><li><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/what-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-said-in-the-lead-up-to-the-capitol-riot/" target="_blank">"Then came January 6 and a vivid illustration of the consequences of the conspiracies the president and the right-wing conspiracy theorist had been promoting. The pro-Trump mob that ransacked the Capitol building chanted slogans like, “fight for Trump,” and were spurred on by the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump."</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-4690335#citation-1 " target="_blank">Measles/refusal to vaccinate</a></li><li><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-4690335#citation-1 " target="_blank">Diminishes trust in science</a></li><li><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-4690335#citation-1 " target="_blank">Discourages people from participating in the social world</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-4690335#citation-1 " target="_blank">How to deal</a><ul><li><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-people-latch-on-to-conspiracy-theories-according-to-science?cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dcrm-email%3A%3Asrc%3Dngp%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3DScience_20210113&rid=46E1F94DC8FA556F656AAEFBCF9091B7&fbclid=IwAR0eUQqX3-NWgUbfSwjJ8S9PWrH24LnzF_2ni9xw9f_PlASBvjanxhYdm6E" target="_blank">Quote by Joseph A. Vitrol</a></li></ul></li></ul>

Let's Talk About Conspiracy Theories.

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We Heal Together is a podcast for people: (1) working on loving themselves, (2) navigating codependency + shame + trauma, (3) surviving emotional abuse + physical abuse + NPD abuse + sexual abuse, or (4) simply trying to improve as a human being.

This podcast provides tools, resources (such as worksheets, connections to organizations, etc.), and books/music recommendations.  Most importantly, this podcast provides a safe space for people to heal together, and it highlights stories and commons struggles people are facing.

Cordelia hosts this podcast, and she runs the Instagram page with similar content.  Check out her Instagram at @codependentrecovery 

A new podcast episode drops every Monday.  

Music credit: L-Ray Music, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.
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If you want to dig deeper into healing?
-Be sure to follow Cordelia on Instagram: @codependentrecovery
-Check out: https://www.cordeliahealtogether.com/ for more details about Cordelia and other resources.

We Heal Together

Ever wondered why some people are drawn to conspiracy theories? In this episode of 'We Heal Together', Cordelia takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of conspiracy theories, uncovering the reasons behind their allure and the impacts they have on our lives. With a blend of research and personal insights, she sheds light on why these theories offer a sense of connection during uncertain times but also contribute to anxiety and mistrust.Cordelia explores various factors like schizotypy and populist attitudes that make some individuals more prone to believing in conspiracies. She doesn't just stop at the 'why'; she also provides practical advice on how to engage with friends or family members who are caught up in these beliefs. This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the psychological and social underpinnings of conspiracy theories and looking for ways to navigate conversations around them.Tune in to 'We Heal Together' and join Cordelia in this enlightening discussion.

Cordelia

cordeliahealtogether@gmail.com (codependentrecovery, Cordelia)

Let's Talk About Conspiracy Theories.

Let's Talk About Conspiracy Theories.

Let's Talk About Conspiracy Theories.

Monday 19th April 2021

About this podcast

We Heal Together

Understanding Conspiracy Theories: Why They Matter and How to Cope