People can be drawn to conspiracy theories for several reasons. In addition to pervasive misinformation and siloed information ecosystems, psychological factors that drive conspiracy theories include the desire for understanding and certainty, the desire to maintain a positive self-image, the desire for control and security.
For example, the thinking might go, “If global temperatures are rising catastrophically due to human activity, then I’ll have to make painful changes to my lifestyle. But if pundits and politicians assure me that global warming is a hoax, I can maintain my current way of living.” This is an example of motivated reasoning.