Have you ever wondered why some people seem particularly drawn to conspiracy theories, even when the evidence doesn’t support them? 

New research suggests the answer may have less to do with intelligence or critical thinking, and more to do with how people naturally process information.

A study published in the journal Cognitive Processing found that people who strongly prefer order, patterns, and structured explanations may be more likely to find conspiracy theories appealing. 

What’s interesting is that this can happen even when those people are perfectly capable of scientific reasoning.The appeal of a simple explanation 

The world is complicated, events are messy, unpredictable, and often confusing. 

Conspiracy theories offer something very tempting: a tidy explanation for chaos. 

They connect dots, assign motives, and turn uncertainty into a clear story. 

For people who naturally look for structure and patterns, that kind of explanation can feel satisfying. 

Researchers describe this thinking style as “systemising.” 

Systemising is the tendency to interpret the world by identifying patterns and rules that explain how things work. People who score highly on systemising often enjoy solving puzzles, analysing systems, or finding logical frameworks that make sense of complex information. 

In the study, researchers looked at more than 550 participants and identified different thinking styles. 

They found that people with strong systemising tendencies were more likely to believe conspiracy theories, even if they demonstrated strong reasoning skills. 

The reason? Conspiracy theories often present events in a way that appears highly structured and internally consistent. 

Loose ends get tied together. Coincidences become evidence. Complex events get reduced to a clear narrative. 

The problem is that once someone adopts a structured explanation, it can be difficult to let go of it. Why beliefs can stick,  even when new evidence appears 

Participants who strongly preferred structured explanations were less likely to change their views when presented with new evidence. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean someone is irrational. Instead, it reflects how their brain prefers to organise information. 

The desire for a coherent system can sometimes override the willingness to question the system itself. Why this matters 

Conspiracy theories aren’t just harmless speculation. 

They can erode trust in institutions, influence public health decisions, increase anxiety, damage relationships, and spread misinformation. 

Understanding why people believe them is therefore important. 

The research suggests that simply presenting facts may not always be enough to change someone’s mind. If conspiracy beliefs satisfy deeper psychological needs, like the desire for order and predictability, then addressing misinformation may require more than just correcting the record. 

It may also require recognising how different people make sense of the world. A reminder about human thinking 

Perhaps the most important takeaway from this research is that belief in conspiracy theories isn’t always about poor reasoning. 

Sometimes it’s about the human desire to make sense of uncertainty. 

Our brains are pattern-finding machines, most of the time that ability helps us navigate the world. 

Understanding that tendency may be one of the most powerful tools we have for recognising misinformation, both in others, and in ourselves. 

Have you ever wondered why some people seem particularly drawn to conspiracy theories, even when the evidence doesn’t support them?&nbsp;
New research suggests the answer may have less to do with intelligence or critical thinking, and more to do with how people naturally process information.
A study published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10339-025-01326-0?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=CONR_BOOKS_ECOM_GL_PBOK_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&amp;utm_content=textlink&amp;utm_term=PID8099906&amp;CJEVENT=96ce8da0184411f1813d00c20a1eba23" data-anchor="?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=CONR_BOOKS_ECOM_GL_PBOK_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&amp;utm_content=textlink&amp;utm_term=PID8099906&amp;CJEVENT=96ce8da0184411f1813d00c20a1eba23">Cognitive Processing</a> found that people who strongly prefer order, patterns, and structured explanations may be more likely to find conspiracy theories appealing.&nbsp;
What’s interesting is that this can happen even when those people are perfectly capable of scientific reasoning.
<h2>The appeal of a simple explanation&nbsp;</h2>
The world is complicated, events are messy, unpredictable, and often confusing.&nbsp;
Conspiracy theories offer something very tempting: a tidy explanation for chaos.&nbsp;
They connect dots, assign motives, and turn uncertainty into a clear story.&nbsp;
For people who naturally look for structure and patterns, that kind of explanation can feel satisfying.&nbsp;
Researchers describe this thinking style as “systemising.”&nbsp;
Systemising is the tendency to interpret the world by identifying patterns and rules that explain how things work. People who score highly on systemising often enjoy solving puzzles, analysing systems, or finding logical frameworks that make sense of complex information.&nbsp;
In the study, researchers looked at more than 550 participants and identified different thinking styles.&nbsp;
They found that people with strong systemising tendencies were more likely to believe conspiracy theories, even if they demonstrated strong reasoning skills.&nbsp;
The reason? Conspiracy theories often present events in a way that appears highly structured and internally consistent.&nbsp;
Loose ends get tied together. Coincidences become evidence. Complex events get reduced to a clear narrative.&nbsp;
The problem is that once someone adopts a structured explanation, it can be difficult to let go of it.&nbsp;
<h2>Why beliefs can stick, &nbsp;even when new evidence appears&nbsp;</h2>
Participants who strongly preferred structured explanations were less likely to change their views when presented with new evidence.&nbsp;
This doesn’t necessarily mean someone is irrational. Instead, it reflects how their brain prefers to organise information.&nbsp;
The desire for a coherent system can sometimes override the willingness to question the system itself.&nbsp;
<h2>Why this matters&nbsp;</h2>
Conspiracy theories aren’t just harmless speculation.&nbsp;
They can erode trust in institutions, influence public health decisions, increase anxiety, damage relationships, and spread misinformation.&nbsp;
Understanding why people believe them is therefore important.&nbsp;
The research suggests that simply presenting facts may not always be enough to change someone’s mind. If conspiracy beliefs satisfy deeper psychological needs, like the desire for order and predictability, then addressing misinformation may require more than just correcting the record.&nbsp;
It may also require recognising how different people make sense of the world.&nbsp;
<h2>A reminder about human thinking&nbsp;</h2>
Perhaps the most important takeaway from this research is that belief in conspiracy theories isn’t always about poor reasoning.&nbsp;
Sometimes it’s about the human desire to make sense of uncertainty.&nbsp;
Our brains are pattern-finding machines, most of the time that ability helps us navigate the world.&nbsp;
Understanding that tendency may be one of the most powerful tools we have for recognising misinformation, both in others, and in ourselves.&nbsp;

News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your Sunday morning listening covered with The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB.

The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Dr Michelle Dickinson: Nanotechnologist on why some people are more drawn to conspiracy theories than others

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a2f03128-c844-43c4-a91c-b4060177b97c/transcript