Can anyone provide a simple explanation as to why Americans have more tendency to making up and believing conspiracy theories?

Comics read as kids perhaps.. Based on unreality I could imagine the same belief being carried into adulthood.. Guessing of course
But

Dear DDB,
 I will tell you that I have been surprised at the intensity of fear and conspiracy theories that I hear in talking to people, but until now had not considered that might be more common in the USA. The first time I can recall is around 1990, really intense conspiracy ideas among people I was working with.

Looking through your articles, here is another idea I thought of: 
The USA is a country where the natural resources seemed unlimited, opportunity infinite. Now we are facing the reality that those resources are depleting. Somehow we know the resources were not handled very well, and maybe the conspiracy theories grow partly out of our attempts to understand why? This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at April 15, 2017 7:00 AM MDT

I think it is because be have a more free press and access to information. We also are taught from a young age to celebrate independent thought, to question the status quo, and challenge authority. 

We like to say "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" while many other countries that like to push political correctness and uniformity prefer to say "the nail that stands up gets hammered down". 

Hello A:

The FAIRNESS DOCTRINE was a policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission, introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses both to present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was — in the Commission's view — honest, equitable, and balanced. The FCC, which was believed to have been under pressure from then President Ronald Reagan, eliminated the Doctrine in 1987. The FCC formally removed the language that implemented the Doctrine, in August of 2011.

The Fairness Doctrine had two basic elements: It required broadcasters to devote some of their airtime to discussing controversial matters of public interest, and to air contrasting views regarding those matters. Stations were given wide latitude as to how to provide contrasting views: It could be done through news segments, public affairs shows, or editorials. The doctrine did not require equal time for opposing views but required that contrasting viewpoints be presented. The demise of this FCC rule has been considered by some to be a contributing factor for the rising level of party polarization in the United States.

goody

This post was edited by excon at April 15, 2017 12:29 PM MDT

goody2shoos, I did not even realize that, ty for the information.

IOW, there's a conspiracy theory in other countries that we embrace conspiracy theories. Sounds like a conspiracy against Americans. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get my orders from Illuminati leadership before I leave on vacation.

The premise is flawed. Americans are no more prone to conspiracy theories than any other group of citizens from another country. Your cited articles are wrong.

Low education and a lack of exposure to events outside one's environment are the main factors for gullibility and simplistic thinking. These factors exist in greater abundance in most countries outside America.   

Conspiracy-theory thinking seems to stem from a mindset of wanting to project your own problems onto something else: it's never your own fault, it's the "system", it's "society", it's some shadowy organization that pulls the world's strings. I don't know if Americans are more prone to this kind of thinking than citizens of other nations, but it's appealing to many to have the things wrong with your life explainable by some outside conspiratorial force that you can't control. 

Recoginition that conspiracies happen daily, perhaps?  Certainly there are some really wild theories out there, but factually it is those who believe all conspiracy theories are bunk who are the ones who need their heads examined.  That conspiracies happen is precisely why we have laws against conspiring.   

Perhaps American have insights into truth others miss.