Conspiracy Theories

Measles is surging again, and experts say fear, mistrust, and misinformation—not just ignorance—are fueling vaccine hesitancy.

A new study suggests that how well you sleep may influence how much you believe in conspiracy theories.

A Turkish study finds psychological traits, not political views or social media use, predict belief in climate change conspiracy theories.

Conspiracy beliefs are often seen as reactions to uncertainty, but new research suggests they might actually create more of it.

Belief in conspiracy theories has been linked to psychological factors, and a new study examined this connection over several years, focusing on the needs for control, belonging, self-esteem, and meaning in life.

Believing in conspiracies might change how we see inequality. New research shows conspiracy thinking makes people less likely to blame disadvantaged groups for their struggles, and more critical of the wealthy.

Vaccine hesitancy may stem from fear, and new research indicates conspiracy theories could play a role in solidifying this reluctance. Fearful individuals might embrace conspiracies to rationalize their decision against vaccination.

New research shows a clear partisan split: when Biden supporters encountered conspiracies, they tended to view Jewish people as having too much power, whereas Trump supporters exposed to neutral information about Jewish history became more prone to endorsing conspiracies.

A new study demonstrates how retractions meant to safeguard research integrity are being reframed on social media, enabling the spread of misinformation and the erosion of public trust in scientific findings.

Recent found that while acute stress significantly increased cortisol levels, it did not lead to higher endorsement of conspiracy theories or conspiratorial interpretations of new information, suggesting stress's influence on such beliefs may be minimal.

Individuals with higher trait anger and conspiracy mentality are more likely to believe in both low- and high-evil conspiracy theories, with younger and less educated individuals showing stronger belief in low-evil theories.

Consuming paranormal documentaries, reality TV, Fox News, YouTube, and the Joe Rogan Experience podcast is linked to stronger belief in UFOs, while general media consumption and traditional news showed no such connection.

A recent study found that conspiracy beliefs slightly decrease with age. Younger individuals tend to have stronger beliefs, linked to lower self-esteem, political dissatisfaction, and a preference for activism.

Research indicates that many individuals who share conspiracy theories online don't actually believe them; instead, they do so for personal gain, to create chaos, incite conflict, or garner attention.

According to a study published in Personality & Individual Differences, belief in a just world is negatively associated with conspiracy theory endorsement, but only among individuals with low ambiguity tolerance.