ABSTRACT
If digital communication technologies make citizens more susceptible to conspiracy theories, the letters should show an increase in conspiratorial content starting somewhere in the early'90s and gradually increasing until the last year of measurement. Modern information technologies play a role in conspiracy theories, but when we seek answers to the question why people believe or disbelieve them, these technologies are only a piece in a much bigger puzzle. In order to understand why feelings of uncertainty and fear are associated with conspiracy theories, we need to establish how people cope with negative emotions. Much psychological research has examined the relationship between fearful, uncertain feelings and people’s tendency to believe conspiracy theories. Naturally, the unexpected death of a president would elicit strong feelings of fear and uncertainty among the population. The proportionality bias similarly has been shown to influence people’s tendency to believe conspiracy theories.
