Journal
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE
Volume 13, Issue 1, Pages 49-59Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/19485506211000217
Keywords
conspiracy theory; conspiracy mentality; COVID-19; trust; social influence
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Funding
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [DFG: SA800/17-1]
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The study found that believing in and being confronted with COVID-19 conspiracy theories decreased institutional trust, support for government regulations, adoption of social distancing measures, and to some extent, social engagement.
During COVID-19, conspiracy theories were intensely discussed in the media. Generally, both believing in conspiracy theories (i.e., explanations for events based on powerholders' secret arrangements) and being confronted with a conspiracy theory have been found to predict cognition and behavior with negative societal effects, such as low institutional trust. Accordingly, believing in conspiracy theories around COVID-19 should reduce institutional trust, support of governmental regulations and their adoption, and social engagement (e.g., helping members of risk groups). We tested these predictions in a national random sample survey, an experiment, and a longitudinal study (N (total) = 1,213; all studies were preregistered). Indeed, believing in and being confronted with a COVID-19 conspiracy theory decreased institutional trust, support of governmental regulations, adoption of physical distancing, and-to some extent-social engagement. Findings underscore the severe societal effects of conspiracy theories in the context of COVID-19.
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