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Varet F, Adam-Troian J, Bonetto E, Akinyemi A, Lantian A, Voisin D, Delouvée S. Experimental manipulation of uncanny feeling does not increase adherence to conspiracy theories. Scand J Psychol 2024; 65:144-156. [PMID: 37667647 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Research over the past decade has shown that endorsement of conspiracy theories (CTs) is shaped by motivated cognition processes. Accordingly, CTs are theorized to stem from compensatory processes, as individuals attempt to cope with existential threats (i.e., uncertainty, loss of control). Based on the meaning maintenance model, we investigated whether this compensatory effect could follow from epistemic threats in domains unrelated to CTs in the form of uncanniness. Feelings of uncanniness were experimentally manipulated through exposure to absurdist art and literature in a set of five studies, followed by a mini meta-analysis (Ntotal = 1,041). We conducted a final, preregistered sixth study (N = 266) manipulating uncanniness through autobiographical recall. No robust evidence for a compensatory effect was found. We discussed methodological and conceptual limitations of the meaning maintenance model, as well as boundary conditions under which conspiracy theories could have a compensatory function to deal with threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Varet
- Anthropo-Lab, ETHICS EA 7446, Université Catholique de Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Eric Bonetto
- Aix Marseille University, PSYCLE, Aix-en-Provence, France
- InCIAM, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Alexis Akinyemi
- Laboratoire Parisien de Psychologie Sociale, EA 4386 (équipe PS2C), Nanterre, France
| | - Anthony Lantian
- Département de Psychologie, Laboratoire Parisien de Psychologie Sociale, UPL, Univ Paris Nanterre, Nanterre, France
| | - Dimitri Voisin
- C2S Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Sylvain Delouvée
- Department of Psychology, LP3C-EA 1285, University Rennes, Rennes, France
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Loziak A, Havrillová D. Conspiracy Mentality: How it Relates to Populism, Relative Deprivation, Mistrust of Expertise and Voting Behaviour. EUROPES JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 20:1-15. [PMID: 38487597 PMCID: PMC10936665 DOI: 10.5964/ejop.10049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Background and research aims. Considering the high prevalence of conspiracy theories and misinformation, there is an urgent need to explain the tendency to adopt a conspiracy mentality and identify behavioural (including voting) outcomes of a high conspiracy mentality. The aims of the present paper are 1) the examination of populist attitudes dimensions, relative deprivation and mistrust of expertise as predictors of conspiracy mentality and 2) proposal of comprehensive models, that combine predictors of conspiracy mentality and its voting consequences. METHODOLOGY Studies utilised OSL regression and structural equation modelling. RESULTS The overall regression was statistically significant. It was found that dimensions of populist attitudes (anti-elitism, sovereignty), relative deprivation and mistrust of expertise were significant predictors of conspiracy mentality. In line with the second research aim, the fitness of models was confirmed and results suggest mistrust of expertise is also a significant predictor of far-right voting. DISCUSSION The contribution of the paper lies in connecting conspiracy mentality with not only attitudes but also with important behaviour outcome - voting behaviour. We propose future research should experimentally examine whether the reduction of some of the identified predictors could possibly lower levels of conspiracy mentality and whether this reduction translates into voting behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Loziak
- Institute of Social Sciences of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Dominika Havrillová
- Institute of Social Sciences of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovakia
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Zhao S, Zhou J, Wang T. Attentive immobility: Investigating the emotional-cognitive mechanism underlying conspiracy mentality and Covid-19 preventive behaviors. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294681. [PMID: 37972104 PMCID: PMC10653459 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
While conspiracy theories have received extensive attention in the realm of misinformation, there has been limited research exploring the impact of conspiracy mentality on individuals' preventive behaviors during acute public health crises. This study investigates how conspiracy mentality may affect compliance with preventive health measures necessary to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and the underlying emotional and cognitive mediators. Data was collected through a survey among 1878 Chinese respondents at the conclusion of the pandemic. The results indicate that individuals with higher levels of conspiracy mentality are significantly less engaged in preventive behaviors. Furthermore, this correlation is mediated by a sequence of mediating factors, starting from anger leading to institutional distrust and fear leading to perceived risk. Conspiracists' response mode can be described as a state of "attentive immobility," in which the impact of heightened institutional distrust outweighs their perceptions of risk, ultimately reducing engagement in preventive behaviors during crises. These findings underscore the importance of debunking initiatives that aim to address and mitigate the negative consequences of conspiracy mentality by targeting the mediating psychological processes during future pandemic threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuguang Zhao
- Research Center of Journalism and Social Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
- School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Jue Zhou
- New Era International Communication Research Institute, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Wang
- New Era International Communication Research Institute, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
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Smallpage SM, Askew RL, Kurlander EA, Rust JB. Conspiracy thinking and the long historical shadow of Romanticism on authoritarian politics. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1185699. [PMID: 37854138 PMCID: PMC10579923 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Similar effect sizes have been reported for the effects of conspiracy, pseudoscientific, and paranormal beliefs on authoritarian attitudes, which points to a conceptual problem at the heart of the conspiracy literature, namely lack of clarity as to what uniquely defines conspiracy beliefs and whether those unique elements contribute distinctly to authoritarian ideologies. To our knowledge, this is the first study to test empirically the predictive power of variance unique to each construct against covariance shared among these constructs when predicting authoritarian and anti-democratic attitudes. Methods Online survey was administered to 314 participants in 2021 that included a battery of demographic and psychological measures. Hierarchical factor models were used to isolate unique variance from shared covariance among responses to items representing conspiracy, paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs. Structural equation models were used to test their unique and shared effects on authoritarian and anti-democratic attitudes. Results We found that our combined measurement model of paranormal thinking, conspiracism, and pseudoscience exhibited exceptional model fit, and that each construct was strongly predictive of both SDO and RWA (r = 0.73-0.86). Once the shared covariance was partitioned into a higher order factor, the residual uniqueness in each first order factors was either negatively related or unrelated to authoritarian and anti-democratic attitudes. Moreover, the higher order factor explained the gross majority of variance in conspiracy (R2 = 0.81) paranormal (R2 = 0.81) and pseudoscientific (R2 = 0.95) beliefs and was a far stronger predictor (β = 0.85, p < 0.01) of anti-democratic attitudes than political partisanship (β = 0.17, p < 0.01). Strong partisan identifiers of both parties showed much higher romanticism scores than party moderates. Conclusion and limitations When predicting authoritarian and anti-democratic attitudes, we found no empirically unique contributions of conspiracy beliefs. Instead, we found that a shared factor, representing a 'romantic' mindset was the main predictor of authoritarian and anti-democratic attitudes. This finding potentially explains failures of interventions in stopping the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theory researchers should refocus on the shared features that conspiracy thinking has with other unwarranted epistemic beliefs to better understand how to halt the spread of misinformation, conspiracy thinking, anti-science attitudes, and even global authoritarianism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Smallpage
- Department of Political Science, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, United States
| | - Robert L. Askew
- Department of Psychology, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, United States
| | - Eric A. Kurlander
- Department of History, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, United States
| | - Joshua B. Rust
- Department of Philosophy, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, United States
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Arroyo-Barrigüete JL, Bellón Núñez-Mera C, Labrador Fernández J, De Nicolas VL. Dunning-Kruger effect and flat-earthers: An exploratory analysis. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:835-844. [PMID: 37139946 DOI: 10.1177/09636625231166255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
This article aims to analyze the factors influencing belief in a flat Earth. We focus on Spain, a country that sadly has some of the most relevant figures on this topic in the Spanish-speaking world. After a qualitative analysis of YouTube videos on the main channels on the subject, a survey was carried out on 1252 individuals. The results point to two conclusions. First is the presence of a considerable Dunning-Kruger effect among flat-earthers. There is a significant negative correlation between science literacy-overall and practically all its dimensions-and overconfidence in science in this group. The second, evaluated through a regression tree, confirms that the interaction of low scientific literacy and overconfidence is highly relevant in explaining the belief in a flat earth. Neither factor alone is determinant, but the combination of the two (low scientific literacy and high overconfidence) leads to high levels of flat earth belief.
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Kwek A, Peh L, Tan J, Lee JX. Distractions, analytical thinking and falling for fake news: A survey of psychological factors. HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 10:319. [PMID: 37333884 PMCID: PMC10259813 DOI: 10.1057/s41599-023-01813-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Analytical thinking safeguards us against believing or spreading fake news. In various forms, this common assumption has been reported, investigated, or implemented in fake news education programs. Some have associated this assumption with the inverse claim, that distractions from analytical thinking may render us vulnerable to believing or spreading fake news. This paper surveys the research done between 2016 and 2022 on psychological factors influencing one's susceptibility to believing or spreading fake news, considers which of the psychological factors are plausible distractors to one's exercise of analytical thinking, and discusses some implications of considering them as distractors to analytical thinking. From these, the paper draws five conclusions: (1) It is not analytical thinking per se, but analytical thinking directed to evaluating the truth that safeguards us from believing or spreading fake news. (2) While psychological factors can distract us from exercising analytical thinking and they can also distract us in exercising analytical thinking. (3) Whether a psychological factor functions as a distractor from analytical thinking or in analytical thinking may depend on contextual factors. (4) Measurements of analytical thinking may not indicate vulnerability to believing or spreading fake news. (5) The relevance of motivated reasoning to our tendency to believe fake news should not yet be dismissed. These findings may be useful to guide future research in the intersection of analytical thinking and susceptibility to believing or spreading fake news.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Kwek
- College of Interdisciplinary and Experiential Learning, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Luke Peh
- School of Science and Technology, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Josef Tan
- Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Education, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jin Xing Lee
- School of Computing, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Pilch I, Turska-Kawa A, Wardawy P, Olszanecka-Marmola A, Smołkowska-Jędo W. Contemporary trends in psychological research on conspiracy beliefs. A systematic review. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1075779. [PMID: 36844318 PMCID: PMC9945548 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1075779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The number of psychological studies on conspiracy beliefs has been systematically growing for about a dozen years, but in recent years, the trend has intensified. We provided a review covering the psychological literature on conspiracy beliefs from 2018 to 2021. Halfway through this period, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, accompanied by an explosion of movements based on conspiracy theories, intensifying researchers' interest in this issue. Methods Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, the review systematically searched for relevant journal articles published between 2018 and 2021. A search was done on Scopus and Web of Science (only peer-reviewed journals). A study was included if it contained primary empirical data, if specific or general conspiracy belief(s) were measured and if its correlation with at least one other psychological variable was reported. All the studies were grouped for the descriptive analysis according to the methodology used, the participants' characteristics, the continent of origin, the sample size, and the conspiracy beliefs measurement tools. Due to substantial methodological heterogeneity of the studies, narrative synthesis was performed. The five researchers were assigned specific roles at each stage of the analysis to ensure the highest quality of the research. Results Following the proposed methodology, 308 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 274 articles (417 studies) meeting the inclusion criteria were identified and included in the review. Almost half of the studies (49.6%) were conducted in European countries. The vast majority of the studies (85.7%) were carried out on samples of adult respondents. The research presents antecedents as well as (potential) consequences of conspiracy beliefs. We grouped the antecedents of conspiracy beliefs into six categories: cognitive (e.g., thinking style) motivational (e.g., uncertainty avoidance), personality (e.g., collective narcissism), psychopathology (e.g., Dark Triad traits), political (e.g., ideological orientation), and sociocultural factors (e.g., collectivism). Conclusion and limitations The research presents evidence on the links between conspiracy beliefs and a range of attitudes and behaviors considered unfavorable from the point of view of individuals and of the society at large. It turned out that different constructs of conspiracy thinking interact with each other. The limitations of the study are discussed in the last part of the article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Pilch
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Turska-Kawa
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Science, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland,*Correspondence: Agnieszka Turska-Kawa,
| | - Paulina Wardawy
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Agata Olszanecka-Marmola
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Science, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Wiktoria Smołkowska-Jędo
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
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Paytubi S, Benavente Y, Montoliu A, Binefa G, Brotons M, Ibáñez R, Ochoa C, Peremiquel-Trillas P, Serrano B, Travier N, Alemany L, Costas L. Everything causes cancer? Beliefs and attitudes towards cancer prevention among anti-vaxxers, flat earthers, and reptilian conspiracists: online cross sectional survey. BMJ 2022; 379:e072561. [PMID: 36543351 PMCID: PMC9768817 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate, using an online non-probability sample, the beliefs about and attitudes towards cancer prevention of people professing vaccination scepticism or conspiracy theories. DESIGN Cross sectional survey. SETTING Data collected mainly from ForoCoches (a well known Spanish forum) and other platforms, including Reddit (English), 4Chan (English), HispaChan (Spanish), and a Spanish language website for cancer prevention (mejorsincancer.org) from January to March 2022. PARTICIPANTS Among 1494 responders, 209 were unvaccinated against covid-19, 112 preferred alternative rather than conventional medicine, and 62 reported flat earth or reptilian beliefs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cancer beliefs assessed using the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) and Cancer Awareness Measure Mythical Causes Scale (CAM-MYCS) (both validated tools). RESULTS Awareness of the actual causes of cancer was greater (median CAM score 63.6%) than that of mythical causes (41.7%). The most endorsed mythical causes of cancer were eating food containing additives or sweeteners, feeling stressed, and eating genetically modified food. Awareness of the actual and mythical causes of cancer among the unvaccinated, alternative medicine, and conspiracy groups was lower than among their counterparts. A median of 54.5% of the actual causes was accurately identified among each of the unvaccinated, alternative medicine, and conspiracy groups, and a median of 63.6% was identified in each of the three corresponding counterparts (P=0.13, 0.04, and 0.003, respectively). For mythical causes, medians of 25.0%, 16.7%, and 16.7% were accurately identified in the unvaccinated, alternative medicine, and conspiracy groups, respectively; a median of 41.7% was identified in each of the three corresponding counterparts (P<0.001 in adjusted models for all comparisons). In total, 673 (45.0%) participants agreed with the statement "It seems like everything causes cancer." No significant differences were observed among the unvaccinated (44.0%), conspiracist (41.9%), or alternative medicine groups (35.7%), compared with their counterparts (45.2%, 45.7%, and 45.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Almost half of the participants agreed that "It seems like everything causes cancer," which highlights the difficulty that society encounters in differentiating actual and mythical causes owing to mass information. People who believed in conspiracies, rejected the covid-19 vaccine, or preferred alternative medicine were more likely to endorse the mythical causes of cancer than their counterparts but were less likely to endorse the actual causes of cancer. These results suggest a direct connection between digital misinformation and consequent erroneous health decisions, which may represent a further preventable fraction of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Paytubi
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yolanda Benavente
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alexandra Montoliu
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Binefa
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Brotons
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Ibáñez
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristian Ochoa
- eHealth ICOnnecta't and Psycho-oncology Services, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Peremiquel-Trillas
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Serrano
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Noémie Travier
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laia Alemany
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Costas
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, IDIBELL, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Jach Ł. The scientistic worldview and its relationships with fear of COVID, conspiracy beliefs, preventive behaviors, and attitudes towards vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Polish sample. CURRENT ISSUES IN PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 11:11-28. [PMID: 38013829 PMCID: PMC10654346 DOI: 10.5114/cipp.2021.111633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The scientistic worldview is characterized by the tendency to justify beliefs and behavior with scientific findings and to function on the basis of theorems and opinions formulated by scientists. The aim of this study was to test whether the attitudes typical for the scientistic worldview could be related to beliefs and behaviors that may reduce the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE The study was conducted on a Polish sample of 1286 participants, using an online survey platform. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires to measure attitudes towards vaccines on COVID-19, the scientistic worldview, fear of COVID, conspiracy beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic, and preventive behaviors undertaken. Participants were also asked about their personal experiences with the pandemic. RESULTS The study showed that the scientistic worldview was associated with a higher fear of COVID, a higher level of containment-related behavior, a lower level of conspiracy beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic, and more positive attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19. A structural model of relations between the studied variables turned out to be very effective and explained 51% of the variance of containment-related behavior and 63% of the variance of attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines. CONCLUSIONS The study found that preventive behaviors and attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 were weakly related to personal experiences during the pandemic but significantly correlated with psychological variables. The results suggest that very positive, scientistic attitudes towards science may be related to higher adherence to science-based public health recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Jach
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
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Du Z, Xiao Y, Xu J. How does Information Exposure Affect Public Attitudes Toward GMO in China? The mediating and moderating roles of Conspiracy Belief and Knowledge. Front Psychol 2022; 13:955541. [PMID: 36204765 PMCID: PMC9530470 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.955541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In China, controversy about genetically modified organisms (GMO) is ongoing and some regard GMO as a “product of a conspiracy,” which affects people’s attitudes (PAs) toward GMO. Beliefs in conspiracy theories (BCT) are formed from the information that people are exposed to. Information exposure not only constructs a pseudo-environment for individuals to perceive the world, but also generates external stimuli for their mental states and attitudes. People’s objective knowledge and self-assessed knowledge play an important moderating role in this process. Method The study adopted the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model, with conspiracy beliefs as mediating variables, to test the mechanism of the independent variable of information exposure on the dependent variable of PAs toward GMO. Objective knowledge and self-assessed knowledge were introduced as moderator variables to explore the different roles of knowledge. A survey of Chinese adults was conducted in February 2022, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to estimate the multi-construct relationships. Results Information exposure was significantly and directly connected with PAs toward GMO. BCT also played a significant mediating role. Unofficial information exposure reinforced beliefs in conspiracy theories. Stronger beliefs in conspiracy theories reduced people’s willingness to consume GMO foods and made them pessimistic about the development prospects of GMO foods. In contrast, exposure to official information weakened people’s beliefs in conspiracy theories and increased their willingness to consume GMO foods. In addition, the level of knowledge had a moderating role. Individual’s objective knowledge can effectively reduce the negative relationship of conspiracy beliefs on attitudes toward GMO development. Conversely, individual’s self-assessed knowledge can enhance the negative relationship of conspiracy beliefs on attitudes toward GMO development. Conclusion Based on psychological and cognitive dimensions, this study provides a new perspective on how information exposure and people’s attitudes toward GMO are related to each other and enriches the variable measurement dimension of knowledge. Simultaneously, it provides a localized explanation of the factors affecting people’s attitudes toward GMO in China, providing a new theoretical basis for the subsequent development strategy of GMO foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhitao Du
- School of Journalism and Communication, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), Beijing, China
| | - Yuqi Xiao
- School of Journalism and Communication, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), Beijing, China
| | - Jinghong Xu
- School of Journalism and Communication, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Jinghong Xu,
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Oleksy T, Wnuk A, Gambin M, Łyś A, Bargiel-Matusiewicz K, Pisula E. Barriers and facilitators of willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19: Role of prosociality, authoritarianism and conspiracy mentality. A four-wave longitudinal study. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022; 190:111524. [PMID: 35068638 PMCID: PMC8767760 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Aim We investigated longitudinal relations between individual willingness to undergo vaccination against COVID-19 and three social factors: conspiracy mentality, prosociality, and authoritarianism. Method This longitudinal study comprised four measurement points. The first wave sample included 1130 responses and was representative of the Polish population in terms of gender, age, and place of residence. Analyses were performed using random intercept cross-lagged panel models. Results We observed bidirectional positive cross-lagged relationships between prosociality and willingness to undergo vaccination in the first three waves of measurement. Authoritarianism and conspiracy mentality translated into a lower willingness to vaccinate between the third and fourth points of measurement when the vaccination became a near-term possibility. Conclusions Eliciting prosocial motivation to vaccinate can be paramount in overcoming vaccine hesitancy. Because conspiracy thinking may be a crucial barrier to willingness to be vaccinated, it is critical to focus on planning interventions and campaigns undermining conspiracy theories about COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Oleksy
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Wnuk
- The Robert B. Zajonc Institute for Social Studies, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Gambin
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Łyś
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Ewa Pisula
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland
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Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories about the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania? An Analysis of Conspiracy Theories Believers’ Profiles. SOCIETIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/soc11040138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by the circulation of an unprecedented amount of “polluted” information, especially in the social media environment, among which are false narratives and conspiracy theories about both the pandemic and vaccination against COVID-19. The effects of such questionable information primarily concern the lack of compliance with restrictive measures and a negative attitude towards vaccination campaigns, as well as more complex social effects, such as street protests or distrust in governments and authorities in general. Even though there is a lot of scholarly attention given to these narratives in many countries, research about the profile of people who are more prone to believe or spread them is rather scarce. In this context, we investigate the role of age, compared with other socio-demographic factors (such as education and religiosity), as well as the role of the media (the frequency of news consumption, the perceived usefulness of social media, and the perceived incidence of fake information about the virus in the media) and the critical thinking disposition of people who tend to believe such misleading narratives. To address these issues, we conducted a national survey (N = 945) in April 2021 in Romania. Using a hierarchical OLS regression model, we found that people who perceive higher incidence of fake news (ß = 0.33, p < 0.001), find social media platforms more useful (ß = 0.13, p < 0.001), have lower education (ß = −0.17, p < 0.001), and have higher levels of religiosity (ß = 0.08, p < 0.05) are more prone to believe COVID-19-related misleading narratives. At the same time, the frequency of news consumption (regardless of the type of media), critical thinking disposition, and age do not play a significant role in the profile of the believer in conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic. Somewhat surprisingly, age does not play a role in predicting belief in conspiracy theories, even though there are studies that suggest that older people are more prone to believe conspiracy narratives. As far as media is concerned, the frequency of news media consumption does not significantly differ for believers and non-believers. We discuss these results within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Marques MD, Kerr JR, Williams MN, Ling M, McLennan J. Associations between conspiracism and the rejection of scientific innovations. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:854-867. [PMID: 33860713 DOI: 10.1177/09636625211007013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Public opinion regarding scientific developments such as genetically modified food can be mixed. We suggest such science-based technological innovations are rejected by some because they are perceived to be advanced as part of a conspiracy. In nationally representative samples (Australia n = 1011; New Zealand n = 754), we report the associations between five conspiracism facets and anti-science attitudes. Results indicate broad public opposition to genetically modified food and use of nuclear power, but more acceptance of renewable power, potable recycled water, 5G networks, and childhood vaccinations. There were small to moderate associations between the rejection of scientific innovations and conspiracism. Multivariate models estimating unique associations of conspiracism facets with anti-science attitudes suggested several novel and important relationships, particularly for childhood vaccination, genetically modified food, and 5G networks. We discuss the importance of examining factors such as conspiracism in understanding what may motivate and sustain rejection of scientific evidence-based claims about socially contentious technological innovations.
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Simione L, Vagni M, Gnagnarella C, Bersani G, Pajardi D. Mistrust and Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories Differently Mediate the Effects of Psychological Factors on Propensity for COVID-19 Vaccine. Front Psychol 2021; 12:683684. [PMID: 34305736 PMCID: PMC8292632 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.683684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is considered a key factor in the sanitary resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, vaccine hesitancy can undermine its diffusion with severe consequences on global health. While beliefs in conspiracy theories, mistrust in science and in policymakers, and mistrust in official information channels may also increment vaccine hesitancy, understanding their psychological causes could improve our capacity to respond to the pandemic. Thus, we designed a cross-sectional study with the aim of probing vaccine propensity in the Italian population and explored its relationship with sociodemographic and psychological variables, and with misbeliefs in COVID-19. A battery of questionnaires was administered to a sample of 374 Italian adults during the first national lockdown (April 2020). The materials included an original instrument—Beliefs in COVID-19 Inventory—and questionnaires measuring perceived stress, anxiety, death anxiety, psychological distress, psychoticism, paranoia, anger, and somatization. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on Beliefs in COVID-19 suggested the existence of three factors: belief in conspiracy theories, mistrust in medical information, and mistrust in medicine and science. These factors were positively correlated with female sex, age, religious beliefs, psychiatric conditions, and psychological variables, while negatively correlated with education levels. We conducted a mediation analysis by means of a structural equation model, including psychological factors as predictors, beliefs in COVID-19 scales as mediators, and vaccine propensity as an outcome. The model showed that death anxiety had a direct positive effect on the propensity to get vaccinated. It also showed that death anxiety reduced the propensity to get vaccinated through a mediated path in believing in conspiracy theories, whereas paranoia was linked to a reduction in vaccination adherence with the mediation effect of mistrust in medical science. Psychological distress reduced vaccination propensity by increasing both conspiracy beliefs and mistrust. On the other hand, anxiety increased the propensity to get vaccinated through a decrease in both belief in conspiracy theories and mistrust in science. Our results suggest that psychological dimensions are differentially related to belief in conspiracy theories, to mistrust in science, and to the propensity to get vaccinated. Based on this result, we propose an original interpretation of how conspiracy beliefs build on a paranoid and suspicious attitude. We also discuss the possible clinical implications of treatment for such pathological beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Simione
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Monia Vagni
- Department of Humanities, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
| | - Camilla Gnagnarella
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bersani
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotecnologies, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Pajardi
- Department of Humanities, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
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Šrol J, Ballová Mikušková E, Čavojová V. When we are worried, what are we thinking? Anxiety, lack of control, and conspiracy beliefs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 35:720-729. [PMID: 33821088 PMCID: PMC8013184 DOI: 10.1002/acp.3798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Societal crises and stressful events are associated with an upsurge of conspiracy beliefs that may help people to tackle feelings of lack of control. In our study (N = 783), we examined whether people with higher feelings of anxiety and lack of control early in the COVID-19 pandemic endorse more conspiracy theories. Our results show that a higher perception of risk of COVID-19 and lower trust in institutions' response to the pandemic were related to feelings of anxiety and lack of control. Feeling the lack of control, but not anxiety, independently predicted COVID-19 conspiracy theory endorsement. Importantly, COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs were strongly correlated with generic conspiracy and pseudoscientific beliefs, which were likewise associated with the feeling of lack of control and lower trust in institutions. The results highlight that considering people's emotional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial for our understanding of the spread of conspiracy and pseudoscientific beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Šrol
- Institute of Experimental PsychologyCentre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislavaSlovakia
| | - Eva Ballová Mikušková
- Institute of Experimental PsychologyCentre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislavaSlovakia
| | - Vladimíra Čavojová
- Institute of Experimental PsychologyCentre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislavaSlovakia
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Pierre JM. Mistrust and misinformation: A two-component, socio-epistemic model of belief in conspiracy theories. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although conspiracy theories are endorsed by about half the population and occasionally turn out to be true, they are more typically false beliefs that, by definition, have a paranoid theme. Consequently, psychological research to date has focused on determining whether there are traits that account for belief in conspiracy theories (BCT) within a deficit model. Alternatively, a two-component, socio-epistemic model of BCT is proposed that seeks to account for the ubiquity of conspiracy theories, their variance along a continuum, and the inconsistency of research findings likening them to psychopathology. Within this model, epistemic mistrust is the core component underlying conspiracist ideation that manifests as the rejection of authoritative information, focuses the specificity of conspiracy theory beliefs, and can sometimes be understood as a sociocultural response to breaches of trust, inequities of power, and existing racial prejudices. Once voices of authority are negated due to mistrust, the resulting epistemic vacuum can send individuals “down the rabbit hole” looking for answers where they are vulnerable to the biased processing of information and misinformation within an increasingly “post-truth” world. The two-component, socio-epistemic model of BCT argues for mitigation strategies that address both mistrust and misinformation processing, with interventions for individuals, institutions of authority, and society as a whole.
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Brisola Marcondes C, Canale A, Benelli G. Lysenko and the Screwworm Fly-When Politics Interferes with Science and Public Health. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E6687. [PMID: 32937878 PMCID: PMC7557419 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the One Health scenario, a deep understanding of the dynamics potentially threatening the development and implementation of useful pest and vector management tools is of key importance. The New World screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is characterized by a wide host range. It acts as an important agent of myiasis in humans and warm-blooded animals in the Neotropics, and has been eliminated from a wide region through genetic methods. Of note, Serebrovsky had already proposed in 1940 the principles of autocidal control by the translocation of segments between two chromosomes, but his work was negated by Lysenko, based on the negation of Mendelian genetics. This entomological case study emphasizes the danger of politics interfering with science, a still contemporary hot issue. The negation of global warming or current pandemics are further examples of this noxious influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Brisola Marcondes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil;
| | - Angelo Canale
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
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Georgiou N, Delfabbro P, Balzan R. COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs and their relationship with perceived stress and pre-existing conspiracy beliefs. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020; 166:110201. [PMID: 32565592 PMCID: PMC7296298 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have down that erroneous Conspiracy Theory (CT) beliefs develop more strongly in people who have underlying conspiratorial reasoning styles and psychopathological traits and particularly when they are faced with stressful external events (Swami et al., 2013; van Prooijen, 2018). In this study, we test this proposition by examining the individual differences associated with the development of COVID-19-related CT beliefs during the pandemic. A total of 660 adults completed a survey that captured COVID–related CT beliefs and broader conspiracy beliefs, education, perceived stress and attitudes towards government responses. The results showed that COVID-19 related CT beliefs were: strongly related to broader CT beliefs, higher in those with lower levels of education; and, positively (although weakly) correlated with more negative attitudes towards government responses. However, no relationship was found between COVID-19 beliefs and self-reported stress. These findings hold implications for why some people are more likely to be resistant to public health interventions relating to COVID-19. The findings encourage more detailed exploration of the causes and sources of CTs and, in particular, the role of social media use and other information sources in the development and perpetuation of health-related CT beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ryan Balzan
- College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Australia
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