McCoombs School of Business. Jennifer Whitson

"Conspiracy Theories" Again.

This just came out from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas.

Research shows that when people perceive they have no control over a given situation, they are more likely to see illusions, patterns where none exist and even believe in conspiracy theories. The study suggests that people impose imaginary order when no real order can be perceived.

"People see false patterns in all types of data," says Jennifer Whitson, one of the authors of the report, "...This suggests that lacking control leads to a visceral need for order — even imaginary order."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95345337

Here's a little more detail from a site called news-medical.net/?id=41844

Medical Research News

New research suggests that the reason why people carry out rituals such as touching wood or wearing a 'lucky' item or some other behavior, is because they are experiencing a loss of control in their lives.

RSS