Category Archives: Social psychology

How to dissuade parents from believing in anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories

Posted on February 22, 2022 by Daniel Jolley

by Darel Cookson, Daniel Jolley, Rachel Povey and Robert Dempsey, written for the Conversation. Older people may be more vulnerable to COVID, but in the UK it’s the young that are now driving the pandemic. Last month, school-age children in … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, What's the harm | 2 Comments

Introducing the Adolescent Conspiracy Beliefs Questionnaire (ACBQ)

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Daniel Jolley

Conspiracy theories can affect people’s beliefs and behaviours in significant ways. For example, they can influence decisions on important issues such as climate change and vaccination. Despite their importance, however, all of the existing research on conspiracy theories has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology | 5 Comments

5G COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and support for violence

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Daniel Jolley

Telecommunications companies, police officials, and media outlets worldwide have suggested that 5G coronavirus conspiracies have sparked a flurry of attacks on telecoms workers and infrastructure since the start of the pandemic. Arson attacks and cases of criminal damage to masts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, What's the harm | 2 Comments

Coronavirus is a breeding ground for conspiracy theories – here’s why that’s a serious problem

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Daniel Jolley

by Daniel Jolley and Pia Lamberty, written for the Conversation. The novel coronavirus continues to spread around the world, with new cases being reported all the time. Spreading just as fast, it seems, are conspiracy theories that claim powerful actors … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, What's the harm | 3 Comments

50 years today – 20th July 1969 – we landed on the Moon. Or, did we?

Posted on July 20, 2019 by Daniel Jolley

Popular conspiracy theories propose the moon landing was a hoax and the footage recorded in a Hollywood studio. An explanation for why could be that at the time, the Americans had not yet developed a safe way to get a … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, What's the harm, World events | 5 Comments

Conspiracy theories fuel prejudice towards minority groups

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Daniel Jolley

By Daniel Jolley and Karen Douglas Some 60% of British people believe in at least one conspiracy theory, a recent poll reveals. From the idea that 9/11 was an inside job to the notion that climate change is a hoax, … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, What's the harm | 3 Comments

New research shows a link between belief in conspiracy theories and everyday criminal activity

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Daniel Jolley

In a new paper published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, we have found that people who believe in conspiracy theories – such as the theory that Princess Diana was murdered by the British establishment – are more likely … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, What's the harm | 4 Comments

Cartoon on the psychology of conspiracy theories

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Daniel Jolley

In June 2018, I was voted one of the winners of ‘I’m a Scientist’ – which is an online platform to engage school children in science where across a two-week period, I spoke to children of all ages about why … Continue reading →

Posted in Round-Ups, Social psychology | 4 Comments

Every mass shooting produces the same conspiracy theories (more or less)

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Mike Wood

The same conspiracy theories pop up every single time there’s a mass shooting in the United States, with minimal variation. There are a couple of ways to look at this. On the one hand, maybe the conspiracy theories are right, … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology, World events | Tagged , , | 44 Comments

Adam Ruins Everything: Episode on conspiracy theories

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Daniel Jolley

This week, US TV Show Adams Ruins Everything has an episode on conspiracy theories.  If you are in the US, you can tune in on 10th October 10/9c on Tru TV.  If you are not based in the US, you … Continue reading →

Posted in Social psychology | 6 Comments