The psychology behind common mental phenomena
Whether questioning the visionary qualities of “The Simpsons” writers or the true story of a presidential assassination, conspiracy theories have existed and continue to be ever-present in society. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the 1900s as the earliest known usage of the term “conspiracy theory,” though there are plenty of examples that predate this, even if they weren’t called that by name. Even an event as far back as the late 17th century Salem Witch Trials may be considered a conspiracy theory for the fact that a large number of people believed that there was a great, malicious power behind a specific struggle. Fast forward to current society and conspiracy theories can still be found everywhere.
Sophomore Alex Haupt has not been untouched by their persistence in the media.
“The first thing that came to my mind when I started to think about it was how Marjorie Taylor Green would say that Jewish people had space lasers and they were, like, controlling the weather. And … that is absolutely incorrect, and horrible,” he said, referencing one of many racial conspiracy theories rooted in racist stereotypes.
Another example is distrust in the moon landing, disbelief in global warming and the belief that airplanes leave behind “chemtrails” to potentially affect the weather or even the minds of civilians. The similarity is that these conspiracy theories consistently cast the government as the higher force responsible.
One theory ninth-grader Mae LaChance has commonly heard is that birds are planted by the government as spies, another example that implies a conspiratorial government. “I don’t believe it,” she said. “I think birds are just birds because birds have been around longer than the government.”
The anti-vaxxers who arose across the nation in response to the COVID-19 vaccine are another popular theory group. According to Mary Van Beusekom’s 2023 report on a survey done by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, the percentage of 1,500 surveyed adults who believed the administered COVID vaccines were unsafe rose from 9% in 2021 to 16% in 2023. While this may not be due to conspiracy theorists alone, their influence still affected public opinion.
According to a 2022 article titled “What Are Conspiracy Theories?” from the Annual Review of Psychology by Karen M. Douglas, conspiracy theories have been the most prevalent in society in times of instability, often following significant political and social upheaval or tragedy, such as the 2020 COVID pandemic. If the movement has “anti” in the title, much like anti-vaxxers, there are likely conspiracy theories attached.
This pattern behind the rise of conspiracy theories has not gone unrecognized. In a 2017 article “The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories,” also written by Douglas in Current Directions in Psychological Science, the psychological explanation for the popularity of conspiracy theories is essentially and can be boiled down to three categories of motives: epistemic, existential and social.
Epistemic motives for believing in conspiracy theories relate to the desire to understand one’s environment and provide explanations for unfamiliar things. Existential motives account for having a sense of control over one’s surroundings. Finally, social is the desire for contentment and belonging within one’s social group, which conspiracy theories fulfill by providing a common “other” to attribute negative outcomes to, protecting the positive image of one’s own group.
“Some people need an outlet to put their fears into,” Haupt said. “If you’re somebody who got a vaccine, and then … something horrible happens to you … people could be like, it’s the vaccine [as] something to blame.”
In a 2024 Psychology Today article “The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories,” Ilene Strauss Cohen, Ph.D., cites two main cognitive biases that fuel conspiracy theorists. First, the “proportionality bias,” or when the cause of an event does not seem proportionally significant to the outcome, so more complex reasoning is assigned and believed to be the true cause. Cohen presents former President John F. Kennedy’s assassination as a prime example of this bias, stating that the reason many people believe that there is a conspiracy behind it is because it is more difficult to believe that a monumental incident such as his death had a more tangible explanation.
The second bias is the “confirmation bias,” seen frequently outside the world of conspiracy theories. This term refers to the idea that people reliably seek out information that supports the beliefs they already have. In other words, once an individual becomes interested in a conspiracy theory, they are likely to find the information that solidifies their belief and are unlikely to pursue opposing data or perspectives.
LaChance observes the spread and popularity of these theories. “It’s like gossip,” she said. “When one person makes something up, it spreads to other people, so then other people start believing it because we’re all kind of stupid, [we] believe whatever we hear.”
Whatever the reason may be, and whether or not they truly began with George Washington and the Illuminati, conspiracy theories have riddled the world for centuries. According to their history, conspiracy theories will continue to thrive as anxious times regarding the world’s political, environmental and social climate continue.
In “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” (1980) Darth Vader’s famous quote is “Luke, I am your father.” Or is it? In actuality, the quote is “No, I am your father,” differing from what many fans remember.
Or think of the popular board game, “Monopoly.” Picture Mr. Monopoly in your head. Many might perfectly remember him wearing a monocle, but in truth, he never has. These are prime examples of something called the “Mandela effect,” which is a psychological phenomenon that explains how recollective memories might not always be true.
A different kind of psychological effect, the “Butterfly effect,” refers to the theory that one small change can lead to a much larger change that affects a future outcome. A common example people often point to is how a slight shift in the wind over the ocean can eventually lead to a major hurricane or weather event.
These are just a few common examples of recognizable psychological effects people today have experienced and recognize.
PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology is the research behind how the human mind functions, explaining the mental and emotional factors that affect behavior and perception. While scientists don’t know everything about how psychological phenomena occur, there have been an immeasurable amount of psychological effects documented that impact a person’s thoughts and feelings, derived from how they react to experiences and situations around them.
According to a 2017 study on the existence of psychological phenomena by Seppo E. Iso-Ahola in the Frontiers of Psychology journal, everyone experiences a psychological effect at some point in their lives, possibly even as often as on a daily basis. Memory plays a large role in instigating these effects, as it is not the most reliable source of information. People don’t inherently lie or depict an event falsely; they subconsciously believe that the memories inside their heads are the truth.
MANDELA EFFECT
The term “Mandela effect” was coined in 2009 by Fiona Broome, a paranormal researcher, who was convinced that the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, had died in prison in the 1980s. However, at the time, Mandela was not dead and would not die until 2013. Broome was not alone with this misconception, as many of her peers were also confused when they found out they all shared the same opinion. Thus, this phenomenon was named the Mandela effect.
This phenomenon can be hard to explain, especially when a large mass of people seem to experience a similar feeling to confabulation, or when false information is unintentionally implanted into one’s mind.
Senior Stella Gunther was a fan of both “The Berenstain Bears” show and books. Her recollection of the title of this popular book series and 1985 children’s television show was incorrect. She pronounced that name “The Berenstein Bears,” instead of “The Berenstain Bears.”
Gunther also recalls another Mandela effect she has experienced, citing that she is certain the technology company, Apple, had an emoji that resembled a robber. Gunther is able to describe what this emoji looked like and other of her peers have agreed of the existence of a robber emoji on their phones. The truth is, this emoji never existed.
“People aren’t paying close attention when their assumptions become reality to them … they get shocked when it’s the other way around,” Gunther said.
BUTTERFLY EFFECT
The phrase “Butterfly effect” originated from Edward Lorenz, a meteorologist in the 1960s, when he decided that tiny changes or actions can lead to massive repercussions. In an MIT Technology Review, writer Peter Dizikes explains: “Lorenz suggested that the flap of a butterfly’s wings might ultimately cause a tornado. And the Butterfly effect, also known as ‘sensitive dependence on initial conditions,’ has a profound corollary: forecasting the future can be nearly impossible.”
Junior Jane Duback is very familiar with the Butterfly effect and has her own insight on this psychological occurrence. “If you wake up in the morning and you’re one minute late, and there’s a car accident, you could have just died,” she said.
Duback relates the Butterfly effect to fate. She believes that the universe has a plan and a schedule for everyone. “I believe it’s all in a circle – like if you miss one window, another window will come up with the same opportunity,” she said.
Because of this, she enjoys looking back on her day and being grateful for what fate has brought her. Duback is able to use this phenomenon in her perception as an opportunity to make the best out of whatever and whoever she is meant to be.
“The Butterfly effect can postpone fate in a way, or it can accelerate and accentuate what you are destined to do and the path you are going to go on,” Duback said.
While the effects can sometimes be haunting and disorienting, there are some ways to deal with these psychological occurrences. Counselor Jake Turnbloom gives recommendations on how to handle when put in similar situations.
“Something I repeat [is] whatever you’re hearing over and over again is in your feelings and thoughts. They’re not always facts,” he said.
Psychological effects may seem daunting, but figuring out how to cope with them helps not get lost down a rabbit hole.
