Opposing Yet Still Disseminating Conspiracy Theories: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Motivations Behind the Dissemination of Conspiracy Theories Online

IF 4.9 1区文学 Q1 COMMUNICATION

Social Media + Society Pub Date : 2026-03-11 DOI:10.1177/20563051261429392

Luna Gao, Jesper Strömbäck

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

While most research on conspiracy theory dissemination focuses on beliefs in and support for conspiracy theories, limited work has explored why people share conspiracy theories, particularly when they oppose them. Using natural language processing and content analysis, we examined 71,003 retweet comments on 136 conspiracy theory-related tweets across six themes posted between 2018 and 2024. Among other things, findings show that while a majority share conspiracy theories because they support them, a substantial minority shares conspiracy theories they oppose. The underlying reasons are to warn others, correct misinformation, or express emotions such as ridicule or frustration. The prevalence of this behavior varies across different conspiracy theories. These results complicate common assumptions about retweeting and suggest that even opposition can contribute to the amplification of conspiracy theories. Understanding these distinct motivations is crucial for developing more targeted strategies to mitigate the dissemination of conspiracy theories and foster healthier information environments.

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反对但仍在传播阴谋论：网络阴谋论传播动机的混合方法分析

虽然大多数关于阴谋论传播的研究都集中在对阴谋论的信仰和支持上，但有限的工作探讨了人们为什么会分享阴谋论，尤其是当他们反对阴谋论的时候。利用自然语言处理和内容分析，我们研究了2018年至2024年间发布的六个主题的136条阴谋论相关推文的71003条转发评论。除其他外，调查结果显示，虽然大多数人认同阴谋论是因为他们支持阴谋论，但相当多的少数人认同他们反对的阴谋论。潜在的原因是为了警告他人，纠正错误信息，或表达嘲笑或沮丧等情绪。这种行为的流行程度因不同的阴谋论而异。这些结果使关于转发的常见假设复杂化，并表明即使是反对意见也可能有助于放大阴谋论。了解这些不同的动机对于制定更有针对性的战略以减轻阴谋论的传播和促进更健康的信息环境至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Social Media + Society COMMUNICATION-

CiteScore

9.20

自引率

3.80%

发文量

111

审稿时长

12 weeks

期刊介绍： Social Media + Society is an open access, peer-reviewed scholarly journal that focuses on the socio-cultural, political, psychological, historical, economic, legal and policy dimensions of social media in societies past, contemporary and future. We publish interdisciplinary work that draws from the social sciences, humanities and computational social sciences, reaches out to the arts and natural sciences, and we endorse mixed methods and methodologies. The journal is open to a diversity of theoretic paradigms and methodologies. The editorial vision of Social Media + Society draws inspiration from research on social media to outline a field of study poised to reflexively grow as social technologies evolve. We foster the open access of sharing of research on the social properties of media, as they manifest themselves through the uses people make of networked platforms past and present, digital and non. The journal presents a collaborative, open, and shared space, dedicated exclusively to the study of social media and their implications for societies. It facilitates state-of-the-art research on cutting-edge trends and allows scholars to focus and track trends specific to this field of study.