Abstract:
While the idea of a flat earth may seem absurd in the twenty-first century, there is today a large and growing number of people who believe it. Who are these people and what animates their belief? In answering these questions, this article aims to articulate a cultural psychological approach to conspiracy theories. This is advanced through an in-depth narrative analysis of three individuals\' life stories concerning before, during, and after the transition to the new belief. Thus, rather than starting from the typical look at what socio-demographic factors predict conspiracy beliefs, we start from a nuanced look at flat earth believers\' own life worlds. We show how different individual motives (epistemological, social and existential) and knowledge systems (scientific, religious, societal) come together in individuals\' adoption and reconstruction of conspiracy theories so that they resonate with believers\' personal lives. Most importantly, flat earth theory offers people a comprehensive vision that places human beings at the center of the universe and provides arguments for how life is meaningful. However, we show that this is reached through different pathways in accordance with people\'s unique life histories and challenges.
摘要:
虽然在二十一世纪,平坦地球的想法似乎很荒谬,今天有大量的人相信它。这些人是谁,是什么激发了他们的信仰?在回答这些问题时,本文旨在阐明阴谋论的文化心理学方法。这是通过对三个人的生活故事进行深入的叙事分析而提出的,during,在过渡到新的信仰之后。因此,而不是从典型的社会人口因素预测阴谋论开始,我们从细致入微地看待平地信徒自己的生命世界开始。我们展示了不同的个人动机(认识论,社会和生存)和知识系统(科学,宗教,社会)在个人中走到一起,采用和重建阴谋论,以便他们与信徒的个人生活产生共鸣。最重要的是,平坦地球理论为人们提供了一个全面的视野,将人类置于宇宙的中心,并为生命的意义提供了论据。然而,我们表明,这是根据人们独特的生活史和挑战通过不同的途径达成的。