Conspiracy Theories

Why do analytical people fall for conspiracy theories? A new study reveals that individuals who crave strict rules and predictable patterns are easily drawn to the artificial sense of order that conspiratorial narratives provide.

Researchers have discovered that everyday nervousness is linked to conspiracy theory endorsement, while stress regarding elections and polarization is not. This challenges the assumption that political anxiety drives conspiratorial thinking.

A new study finds election conspiracy theories don't necessarily cause democratic backsliding. Instead, people who already support authoritarianism are more likely to embrace conspiracy beliefs.

A new study reveals that tweets expressing collective narcissism—a belief in a group’s superiority and victimhood—were central to the "Stop the Steal" movement. These messages went viral by tapping into deep-seated psychological needs for recognition.

Does a university degree protect you from fake news? Not if you have high narcissistic traits. New findings suggest that a need to feel special can make even highly educated people fall for conspiracy theories.

Can conspiracy theorists change their minds? A comprehensive review suggests they can, though the effects are often small. Interventions appear most successful when they target younger audiences and provide concrete factual alternatives.

New research published in Applied Cognitive Psychology identifies a strong link between conspiracy theory endorsement and two specific traits.

A series of five studies found that people are more likely to endorse conspiracy theories in societies with restricted freedom of speech, even after accounting for the country's overall level of democracy.

A new study in PNAS Nexus finds that short conversations with AI can reduce belief in conspiracy theories and other unsupported ideas—even when people think they're talking to a human, not a machine. The messenger's identity appears to matter less...

A common mental shortcut may explain why many people believe in election fraud. New research shows the order of the vote count can make a legitimate late comeback seem suspicious, impacting perceptions of the election's legitimacy.

New research suggests that even brief exposure to climate misinformation can distort how much scientific agreement people think exists, and this shift tends to lead to less worry and lower support for action to address climate change.

A new study sheds light on how conspiracy believers interpret information. While they evaluate facts similarly to others, brain scans reveal they process conspiracy content using value-based and uncertainty-monitoring regions, suggesting their beliefs are supported by distinctive cognitive and emotional...

A new study suggests the strongest driver of conspiracy beliefs about the Trump assassination attempt wasn’t social media or cable news. Instead, researchers found an unexpected social factor that could explain why some people fall for these narratives.

New findings indicate that conspiracy theories targeting foreign governments can significantly shape war-related beliefs. Across five studies, people exposed to these narratives expressed greater support for military action, less humanitarian concern, and stronger identification with aggressor nations.

A recent study tested whether people can be “inoculated” against misinformation by shifting how they think. The results suggest that boosting open-minded thinking through a simple message can reduce conspiracy beliefs and help individuals better separate truth from falsehood.