A New Book by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onurcan Yılmaz: Why Do We Believe in Conspiracy Theories?

Why Do We Believe in Conspiracy Theories?, a joint work of Assoc. Prof. Onurcan Yılmaz, a faculty member of our Psychology Department, and Assoc. Prof. Sinan Alper from Yaşar University. On the Psychology of Conspiracy Beliefs, has hit the shelves with Doğan Kitap.

Detaylı bilgi için: https://www.dogankitap.com.tr/kitap/komplo-teorilerine-neden-inaniriz

About the Book:

“Whether it’s a broad belief in a secret organization that directs every development on Earth or a much narrower belief that the Moon has never actually been visited, beliefs that are not based on evidence that a group is carrying out various activities for secret and malicious purposes are called ‘conspiracy theories.'”

So why do we believe in conspiracy theories? Is believing in conspiracy theories a weakness or a natural characteristic of humans? Do only certain people believe in conspiracy theories? Has there been an increase in conspiracy theories recently? Are there any conspiracy theories that have later turned out to be true? What are the differences between scientific theories and conspiracy theories? Is it possible for us to develop immunity to conspiracy theories?

Parts of the Book:

Preface
PART 1/What is conspiracy theory?
“It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.”
Scientific theories and conspiracy theories
What is a conspiracy theory?
Evolutionary and psychological functions of conspiracy theories
The evolution of belief
PART 2/True conspiracies and the benefits of conspiracy beliefs
Real conspiracies
The possibility that a conspiracy is real
Harmless (?) conspiracy theories
All conspiracy theories are related – even the most seemingly unrelated ones
Fabricated conspiracy theories
The benefits of conspiracy theories
Are the effects of conspiracy theories exaggerated?
Conspiracy theories that are impossible to be true at the same time
CHAPTER 3 /The harms of conspiracy theories
Declining trust in institutions and people
Political polarization and aggression
Anti-science
SECTION 4/Social factors that increase conspiracy beliefs
SECTION 5/Individual factors
Individual motivations and conspiracy theories
Political ideology and conspiracy theories
CHAPTER 6/How can we combat conspiracy theories?
Mockery and exclusion
To say that the allegation is a “conspiracy theory”
Refuting the allegation
Encouraging rational thinking
Convincing “Flat Earthers”
“Grafting” technique
Large-scale use of the grafting technique
The most successful intervention methods
Fighting conspiracy theories on an individual level
SECTION 7/Conclusion
Evolutionary origins and the influence of culture
The function and consequences of conspiracy theories
Epilogue

Click here for a preview of the book.