Conspiracy Theories

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.

A massive 15-country study suggests that people who are highly sensitive to personal injustice are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories — including claims about climate change and vaccines — regardless of broader societal histories of conflict or oppression.

A new study suggests that believing in one conspiracy theory may slightly increase the likelihood of believing in others. The research offers rare causal evidence in support of the long-debated “rabbit hole” model of how conspiracy beliefs spread.

Belief in anti-immigrant conspiracies may be fueled by financial hardship and a sense of societal breakdown, according to new research. Across six studies, economic stress predicted support for discriminatory policies and even violent actions against non-European immigrants.

People who believe in conspiracy theories tend to overestimate their own abilities and wrongly assume that others share their views, according to a new study. The findings highlight overconfidence as a key factor behind conspiracy belief.

A new study used artificial intelligence to analyze over 75,000 Reddit posts and uncover the deep emotional toll QAnon beliefs take on families. The findings reveal widespread grief, fear, and strained relationships as loved ones struggle with ideological division.

Psychologists have found that conspiracy theory beliefs may stem from spite triggered by feelings of social, existential, or cognitive disadvantage. The findings suggest that tackling misinformation requires addressing deeper social inequalities and psychological frustrations.

People prone to conspiracy theories may share cognitive tendencies with those who experience delusional thinking. Two new studies suggest that biases like anomalous perception and impulsive reasoning help explain why some are more likely to embrace conspiratorial beliefs.

Contrary to popular belief, conspiracy theories may not drive democratic decline—rather, those who reject democracy seem more prone to conspiratorial thinking.