Why We Believe Things That Aren't True

Stress and fear prime our minds to grasp for answers, even unreliable ones. In fact, research during recent crises found that rumors and “alternative truths” thrive in environments of high anxiety and low trust.

In psychology, jumping to conclusions is classified as a thinking error—an automatic, often irrational pattern that reinforces negative beliefs.

People with a high intolerance of uncertainty may experience distress at the possibility of a negative event occurring. They may find possible future negative events unacceptable and threatening even if the event is unlikely to happen.