conspiracies

Conspiracies are plans by two or more people to commit wrongdoing, typically kept secret to avoid detection. In everyday use, the term conspiracy theory denotes an explanatory account that attributes events to such hidden plots, often with limited or disputed evidence. The word conspiracy derives from Latin conspirare, meaning “to breathe together.” A conspiracy is an actual secret arrangement; a conspiracy theory is an explanation about one, which may or may not be true.

Common features include alleged secrecy, motivated actors, and the idea of hidden coordination that challenges ordinary explanations. The spread of conspiracist ideas is aided by uncertainty, rapid information exchange, and cognitive biases such as pattern recognition and agency detection, as well as social identities that reinforce group belonging and distrust of outsiders. Conspiracy theories often rely on selective or misinterpreted evidence and may propagate through online communities, media outlets, and political discourse.

History provides both documented conspiracies and widely debated theories. Notable verified cases include reorganizations of power or wrongdoing uncovered by investigations, while many modern theories concern politics, science, or public health and range from plausible to implausible. The existence of real conspiracies is acknowledged in journalism and scholarship, but many theories remain unproven or debunked.

Scholars study conspiracism to understand belief formation and information ecosystems. Critical evaluation emphasizes credible sources, transparent evidence, and logical reasoning. Debunking plays a role in addressing misinformation, but conspiracist narratives can also undermine trust, stigmatize groups, or hinder public policy. Conspiracy discourse thus sits at the intersection of history, psychology, and media studies, illustrating how people seek explanations for uncertain events.