Why Educated Narcissists Fall for Conspiracy Theories

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Most of us believe we are “too smart” to fall for misinformation. But, ironically, research has shown that those who think they are least susceptible often fall the hardest.

So, where do conspiracy theories fit in? These are alternate explanations or stories that challenge facts, often suggesting covert and nefarious activities. From the moon landing being a hoax to claims about Bigfoot’s existence, conspiracy theories have always captured imaginations.

Now, consider narcissists—individuals who often view themselves as superior or maybe even infallible. Despite their apparent confidence, narcissists are more likely to be ensnared by conspiracy theories and hoaxes, according to research. Interestingly, while prior work has also shown that education, in general, is a protective shield against conspiracy theories, the opposite may be true for narcissists.

A new paper published in Frontiers in Psychology by Tylor Cosgrove and Chris Murphy has shown that educated narcissists are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. Their best defense? Cognitive reflection.

Why Are Educated Narcissists Susceptible to Conspiracy Theories?

In the first study, the researchers conducted an online survey with 323 participants from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They measured different facets of narcissism, such as:

• Grandiosity, which reflects a high sense of self-importance and an exaggerated sense of accomplishments
• Need for uniqueness, which signifies a desire to be seen as distinct from others and crave admiration
• Need for supremacy, which denotes a wish to dominate and feel superior over peers
• Vulnerable narcissism, which captures deep-seated feelings of insecurity, is often defended by passive-aggressive behaviors and a need for validation
• Collective narcissism, which represents an inflated view of one’s group, leads to sensitivity toward any perceived slights

Alongside this, they measured participants’ level and field of education and their endorsement of generic conspiracy theories.

The results showed that most facets of narcissism were positively associated with conspiracy beliefs, except for the need for supremacy. However, the effects of narcissism were differentially moderated by education: Higher education increased the effects of grandiosity and the need for uniqueness on conspiracy beliefs, but it did not affect the effect of vulnerable narcissism.

This means that educated narcissists who had high levels of grandiosity or need for uniqueness were more likely to believe conspiracy theories than less-educated ones or those with lower levels of these traits.

The study also tested whether science, technology, engineering, and math education moderated the effects of narcissism on conspiracy beliefs and found no significant moderation effects for any facet of narcissism. This means that having a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education did not change the relationship between any facet of narcissism and conspiracy beliefs.

The study suggests a few possible reasons why this might be the case. For one, educated narcissists tend to overestimate their knowledge and expertise and resist changing their beliefs in the face of contradictory evidence. It could also be because educated narcissists use conspiracy theories to boost their sense of uniqueness and superiority over others.

How Might Cognitive Reflection Deter Conspiracy Endorsement?

Let’s look at an example of why cognitive reflection, which is a measure of critical thinking skills, is important:

A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

The intuitive answer many people jump to is 10 cents, but upon deeper reflection, it’s clear that the correct answer is 5 cents (with the bat costing $1.05).

In research, cognitive reflection has been associated with various cognitive abilities and behaviors, including susceptibility to biases, decision-making under uncertainty, and even belief in conspiracy theories.

In the second study, the researchers used a publicly available dataset that was collected from over 50,000 participants in close to 70 countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. They measured individual and collective narcissism, cognitive reflection, and endorsement of Covid-19-related conspiracy theories.

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How Stable Are Conspiracy Theory Beliefs?

The results showed that both individual and collective narcissism were positively associated with COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. However, the effect of narcissism was moderated by cognitive reflection: Higher cognitive reflection skills reduced the impact of narcissism on conspiracy beliefs.

This means that narcissists who were more able to think critically and analytically were less likely to believe COVID-19 conspiracy theories than those who relied on intuition and gut feelings. The study suggests this might be because cognitive reflection helps individuals to evaluate information more objectively and rationally and to update their beliefs based on new evidence. They also suggested that cognitive reflection might reduce the need for simplicity and certainty that drives narcissists to adopt conspiracy theories.

Conclusion

It’s tempting to believe that education alone can be our shield against misinformation and harmful conspiracy theories. However, this study brings to light a crucial caveat: Education isn’t a panacea. Even the well-educated can be turned by conspiracy theories if they possess certain narcissistic traits. This is why cognitive reflection and, in general, critical thinking are important. These skills, more than degrees and accolades, can guide us through the minefield of misinformation, ensuring that we approach narratives with discernment and skepticism. In essence, it’s not just about what we know, but how we think.