'A first class book' Sunday Times We're all conspiracy theorists. Some of us just hide it others. Conspiracy theorists do not wear tin-foil hats (for the most part). They are not just a few kooks lurking on the paranoid fringes of society with bizarre ideas about shape-shifting reptilian aliens running society in secret. They walk among us. They are us. Everyone loves a good conspiracy. Yet conspiracy theories are not a recent invention. And they are not always a harmless curiosity. In Suspicious Minds, Rob Brotherton explores the history and consequences of conspiracism, and delves into the research that offers insights into why so many of us are drawn to implausible, unproven and unproveable conspiracy theories. They resonate with some of our brain's built-in quirks and foibles, and tap into some of our deepest desires, fears, and assumptions about the world. The fascinating and often surprising psychology of conspiracy theories tells us a lot - not just why we are drawn to theories about sinister schemes, but about how our minds are wired and, indeed, why we believe anything at all. Conspiracy theories are not some psychological aberration - they're a predictable product of how brains work. This book will tell you why, and what it means. Of course, just because your brain's biased doesn't always mean you're wrong. Sometimes conspiracies are real. Sometimes, paranoia is prudent.
'A first class book' Sunday Times We're all conspiracy theorists. Some of us just hide it others. Conspiracy theorists do not wear tin-foil hats (for the most part). They are not just a few kooks lurking on the paranoid fringes of society with bizarre ideas about shape-shifting reptilian aliens running society in secret. They walk among us. They are us. Everyone loves a good conspiracy. Yet conspiracy theories are not a recent invention. And they are not always a harmless curiosity. In Suspicious Minds, Rob Brotherton explores the history and consequences of conspiracism, and delves into the research that offers insights into why so many of us are drawn to implausible, unproven and unproveable conspiracy theories. They resonate with some of our brain's built-in quirks and foibles, and tap into some of our deepest desires, fears, and assumptions about the world. The fascinating and often surprising psychology of conspiracy theories tells us a lot - not just why we are drawn to theories about sinister schemes, but about how our minds are wired and, indeed, why we believe anything at all. Conspiracy theories are not some psychological aberration - they're a predictable product of how brains work. This book will tell you why, and what it means. Of course, just because your brain's biased doesn't always mean you're wrong. Sometimes conspiracies are real. Sometimes, paranoia is prudent.
Introduction. Down the Rabbit Hole Chapter 1. The Age of Conspiracy Chapter 2. What’s the Harm? Chapter 3. What is a Conspiracy Theory? Chapter 4. Conspiracy Minded Chapter 5. The Paranoid Fringe Chapter 6. I Want to Believe Chapter 7. (Official) Stories Chapter 8. Connect the Dots Chapter 9. Intention Seekers Chapter 10. Proportion Distortion Chapter 11. I Knew It Epilogue: Only Human
The psychology of our belief in conspiracy theories
Rob Brotherton is an academic psychologist and science writer who likes to walk on the weird side of psychology. Rob completed a doctoral degree on the psychology of conspiracy theories, and taught classes on why people believe weird stuff and science communication as a member of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. He now lives in New York City. Rob writes about conspiracy theories on his website ConspiracyPsychology.com.
Sophisticated and absorbing...This is a first-class book. It melds
science, history and popular culture cleverly and with purpose.
*Sunday Times*
A thought-provoking analysis and an appealing guide to thinking
about conspiracies, real and imagined.
*Wall Street Journal*
...presents a textured and often surprising look into the
fascinating world of conspiracy theories. A world so often
described as dark and shady is shown to be much closer to home than
we could have first imagined.
*The Psychologist*
Suspicious Minds details the various psychological 'quirks and
shortcuts' that make us susceptible to conspiracy theories [...]
offering a convincing argument against the common practice of
tarring political opponents as conspiracy theorists.
*New York Times Book Review*
Clearly written and with liberal use of humor and numerous examples
from scholarly research, this title provides a valuable look at why
conspiracy theories abound and why we should continually assess our
thinking.
*9/1*
An enlightening and educational read.
*How It Works*
In this fascinating, and often startling book, Rob Brotherton
reveals that the crazy people may well be completely wrong in their
beliefs, but they are no more crazy than you and me.
*Fortean Times*
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