?Where there are villains, there will be heroes?: Belief in conspiracy theories as an existential tool to fulfill need for meaning

What leads people to believe in conspiracy theories? In this paper, we explore the possibility that people might be drawn towards conspiracy theories because believing in them might satisfy certain existential needs and help people find meaning in their life. Through two studies (N = 289 and 287 after exclusion), we found that participants higher in the need and search for meaning were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. This relationship was not moderated by participants' feelings of control. We also found that believing in conspiracy theories was associated with more presence of meaning (Study 1), and more precisely with a heightened feeling of mattering in the grand scheme of things (Study 2). Additionally, we found that participants were more likely to endorse conspiracy theories that left them more agency and allowed them the possibility to make a difference. Overall, we argue that our results suggest that people might sometimes be drawn towards conspiracy theories because they allow them to feel as if they can make a difference and have a positive impact on the world, and thus that conspiracy theories can be used as tools to satisfy existential needs.

Automated summary

This paper explores the reasons behind people's belief in conspiracy theories, suggesting that believing in conspiracy theories may satisfy existential needs and help individuals find meaning in life. The study found that individuals who have a higher need for meaning are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. Belief in conspiracy theories was also associated with a stronger sense of meaning and a heightened feeling of impact on the world.