9 Reasons People Believe In Conspiracy Theories
8. They’re A Narcissist
Something that has been found to be a good predictor of conspiratorial leanings is the individual's tendency towards narcissism. This isn't narcissism in the sense that they take too many selfies, but the actual, psychological definition.
This could include a tendency to overestimate the importance of their own opinions, have a strong sense of entitlement and outwardly inflated self-confidence that hides inner anxiety and low self esteem. Narcissists are more likely to feel personally persecuted by others, and threatened when their beliefs are challenged.
Sounds like the perfect breeding ground for conspiracy.
A study in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal found the correlation between narcissistic personalities, low self esteem and the proclivity to believe in conspiracies. What isn't clear, however, is how they all fit together - whether the personality traits make the person more likely to believe, or whether belief is more likely to make somebody distrustful, paranoid and self-centred.