Why some people believe in superstitions and conspiracies more than others
We’ve all encountered a friend who holds onto a superstition, even though it’s commonly considered inaccurate. Shannon Odell, a neuroscientist, has an explanation from a scientific perspective. The way the brain works is key to understanding this phenomenon.
She believes that people with more free dopamine are gullible and tend to believe in baseless conspiracy theories. The level of dopamine is partially determined by genes; some people’s brains follow an illusory pattern perception, making them susceptible to believing in superstitions.