Are you a conspiracy theorist? New study aims to find why some people are more likely to buy into conspiracies

How does ISIS continue to convince people to join them?

Although many would like to think otherwise, one professor believes conspiracy theorists are not classified as crazy or mad people; they just have specific "intellectual character traits" that make them more predisposed to believing in certain things.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) -  A new study has been launched by Quassim Cassam, a professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick. This new study focuses and explores on what makes people believe in certain theories - and why such theories could push people to extreme limits, such as joining ISIS.

Professor Cassam posits that some people are more susceptible to "intellectual vices" such as dogmatism, gullibility and close mindedness. This in turn makes these people more likely to adapt to extreme "alternative" sources of information. He plans on exploring the idea in a much deeper sense and study the generic character traits that reinforce this kind of mindset.

When it comes to cases of terrorism and ISIS, Professor Cassam posed a question as to why some 18 or 19-year-olds can be convinced by ISIS recruiters to believe their interpretation of Islam, despite the opposite suggestions and explanations from everyone else around them.

"For example, I don't know much about Islam but I do know that there is an absolute clear bar in Islam on suicide. So people who are told it is acceptable to be suicide bombers are ending up believing something which on the face has no foundation at all," Professor Cassam said. He added that he was not trying to verify that these character traits are the main reason for people believing these things, but they are contributory factors.

The study will start in April 2016 and continue on for 18 months. Funded by the Arts and Humanity Research Council, Professor Cassam hopes his findings will shed some light onto the understanding of the irrational decisions made by some individuals and become a step forward towards fighting and ultimately, challenging them.

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