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Cited by 414Misinformation and Its ImpactsEvolutionary Psychology and Human BehaviorParanormal Experiences and Beliefs

Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms

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van Prooijen, Jan-Willem, van Vugt, Mark·2018·Perspectives on Psychological Science
DOI 10.1177/1745691618774270PMC PMC6238178
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Abstract

Belief in conspiracy theories—such as that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were an inside job or that the pharmaceutical industry deliberately spreads diseases—is a widespread and culturally universal phenomenon. Why do so many people around the globe believe conspiracy theories, and why are they so influential? Previous research focused on the proximate mechanisms underlying conspiracy beliefs but ignored the distal, evolutionary origins and functions. We review evidence pertaining to two competing evolutionary hypotheses: (a) conspiracy beliefs are a by-product of a suite of psychological mechanisms (e.g., pattern recognition, agency detection, threat management, alliance detection) that evolved for different reasons, or (b) conspiracy beliefs are part of an evolved psychological mechanism specifically aimed at detecting dangerous coalitions. This latter perspective assumes that conspiracy theories are activated after specific coalition cues, which produce functional counterstrategies to cope with suspected conspiracies. Insights from social, cultural and evolutionary psychology provide tentative support for six propositions that follow from the adaptation hypothesis. We propose that people possess a functionally integrated mental system to detect conspiracies that in all likelihood has been shaped in an ancestral human environment in which hostile coalitions—that is, conspiracies that truly existed—were a frequent cause of misery, death, and reproductive loss.

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Authors
van Prooijen, J.-W., & van Vugt, M.
Affiliations
Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU Amsterdam
Venue
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2018-09-19
Volume
13
Issue
6
Pages
770-788
ISSN
  • 1745-6916 (ISSN-L)
  • 1745-6924
DOI
10.1177/1745691618774270
PMC
PMC6238178
OpenAlex
W2890021044
Cited by
414
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 69 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 62 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 2
FWCI
57.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Perspectives on Psychological Science (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
Keywords
conspiracy beliefs, evolutionary psychology, adaptation hypothesis, threat management, agency detection, pattern recognition, counter-strategies, 9/11 conspiracy theories, cultural universality
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Conflict, Psychological, Cooperative Behavior, Cues, Biological Evolution, Humans, Deception, Psychological Theory, Psychology, Social, Public Opinion, Causality

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