How feelings of disconnection and lack of control fuel conspiracy beliefs – new research

By Elianne Albath, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Social Psychology, University of Basel
Chris G. Sibley, Professor in Psychology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Danny Osborne, Associate Professor of Political Psychology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
John Kerr, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Public Health, University of Otago
Mathew Marques, Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology, La Trobe University

Unmet psychological needs can drive people toward conspiracy belief, but this can start a self-reinforcing cycle which further erodes the need and creates more mistrust and disconnection.

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