Contagious conspiracy theories and potential pathways to address them

Abstract

Conspiracy theories are alternative explanations of important events which attribute their cause to secret plots by powerful, malevolent forces and they are widespread in society. This discussion paper firstly outlines belief in conspiracy theories and how they can be detrimental for the smooth running of society, with a focus on Covid-19 conspiracy beliefs. Then, my PhD research is introduced which focuses on potential strategies for targeted interventions to be developed to reduce some of the potential negative consequences of conspiracy beliefs.