So, she put on her social-scientist hat and looked into why people believe conspiracy theories and what happens when they do. In the case of Canadian superwolves, Stockemer speculated the mythical monster could help groups who want a reason for their unsuccessful hunting trips. To make things worse, most people say publicly that they don’t believe conspiracy theories, even when they might do so in private. “Across all countries,” Bordeleau wrote, “believing in conspiracy theories is non-normative (i.e., not the ‘normal’ view to have). “If people aren’t feeling heard or empowered in wildlife management, they lean toward conspiracy theories,” Lipp said.