Conspiracy theories are often explained as the result of disinformation, existential threats or a lack of critical thinking. However, a new research project, RESPeCT, carried out as part of the ERC CZ program and led by Magdalena Adamus at ECON MUNI, offers a different perspective. It will focus on the role played by relationships between social groups in the spread of conspiracy beliefs. The researchers will investigate whether support for conspiracy theories can be effectively reduced by improving intergroup relationships and attitudes.
According to Magdalena Adamus, there is no simple answer to the question of why people believe in conspiracies. Research to date shows that susceptibility to conspiracy beliefs is influenced by a whole range of factors, from individual characteristics through experiences of existential threat to the way in which people assess the functioning of society and institutions.
“After years of researching conspiracy beliefs, I would say that my current view of them is multifaceted,” said Adamus. In addition to individual, structural and existential factors, she believes there is also an important socio-psychological dimension. “Conspiracy beliefs are not exclusively individual phenomena. Some of them reflect social dynamics and can be regarded as indicators of intergroup relations and conflicts,” she added.
It is precisely this premise that underpins the RESPeCT project, whose main aim is to shift the current focus of scientific research away from viewing conspiracy theories solely as an individual problem, towards perceiving them as a manifestation of intergroup attitudes. The research team will test interventions aimed at countering conspiracy beliefs, drawing on insights from social psychology regarding intergroup conflicts and relations.
Most previous efforts to curb conspiracy theories have assumed that their main cause is inaccurate information or errors in judgement. Measures have therefore focused primarily on factchecking, developing critical thinking, or the ability to recognise disinformation. According to Adamus, however, this view is only part of the story.
Conspiracy beliefs often also reflect the relationships between social groups. Disturbing events are typically explained in conspiracy narratives as the result of a secret plot by certain actors – such as political elites, religious communities, ethnic minorities or foreign governments – who allegedly act in their own interests and to the detriment of ordinary people.
The importance of this research is further underlined by the consequences that conspiracy beliefs can have. According to a number of studies, they are associated with poorer health, higher levels of anxiety and helplessness, lower life satisfaction, and a reduced willingness to be vaccinated or seek medical help.
Furthermore, research by Magdalena Adamus’s team has revealed a link between conspiracy beliefs and economic uncertainty. “We found that higher levels of conspiracy beliefs precede increased economic anxiety, even though we had originally assumed the relationship would run the other way,” said Adamus. The results thus suggest that whilst people may embrace conspiracy theories as a response to uncertainty or distressing events, these often fail to provide the relief they expect. On the contrary, they may further exacerbate negative emotions.
Moreover, the negative impacts are not limited to individuals. Conspiracy beliefs are also often linked to growing social polarisation, support for extremist views, autocrats and undemocratic political parties, or hesitancy towards vaccination. “Conspiracy beliefs can be a weapon used to polarise social groups, spread chaos in society and make it easier to manipulate public opinion,” warned Adamus.
The RESPeCT project will be carried out in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Researchers will work with large cohorts of respondents and utilise a longitudinal design, which allows them to track people’s attitudes over time. This will make it possible to examine in detail not only changes in conspiracy beliefs, but also their relationship to social cohesion, polarisation, or attitudes towards marginalised groups, such as minorities, migrants or LGBTQ+ people.
The project’s international scope will allow for a comparison of results across different cultural and social contexts. “Conspiracy beliefs are also linked to socio-economic and cultural factors, so we can expect the results to vary between countries,” added Adamus. According to her, it is precisely an understanding of these differences that can contribute to the development of more precise and effective interventions tailored to the specific conditions of individual societies.
The project’s host institution is ECON MUNI, where all key research activities will take place. However, according to Magdalena Adamus, the research will not only provide answers but is also likely to raise new questions. “Science never ends. Every answer raises new questions and, in the most interesting cases, challenges existing knowledge,” she concluded.
The RESPeCT project thus offers a new perspective on one of the significant social phenomena of our time. A better understanding of intergroup relations could help to find more effective ways of curbing the spread of conspiracy theories and mitigating their impact on society.
The project “A Resilient Society Protected from Conspiracy Theories” (ID No. LL2605) is funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports as part of the ERC CZ program.
Magdalena Adamus is a social scientist whose primary research interests are conspiracy beliefs and intergroup attitudes. She examines how support for conspiracy beliefs can reflect intergroup attitudes while also actively shaping social dynamics. In her research, she also focuses on structural factors (inequality, trust, economic development) and demonstrates how institutional distrust and conspiracy beliefs may be interconnected. In her current research, she seeks to understand how social-psychological insights into attitudes and intergroup conflicts can be effectively used to halt the spread of conspiracy beliefs and their negative social consequences.
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