Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of conspiracy theories about the virus’s origins, effects, and treatment have appealed to an anxious audience looking for answers. While some conspiracy theories can be harmless, they’ve also been associated with radicalization of fringe groups. And in the case of the new coronavirus, they may create a real public health hazard: Research by University of Oxford psychologists has suggested that people who believe conspiracy theories are less likely to follow social distancing measures and may be less likely to get an eventual vaccine.
“Conspiracy theories contribute to an increasing pollution of the information environment, a distrust of expertise, scientists, and the very idea of truth,” says Peter Knight, a professor of American studies at Manchester University who researches conspiracy theories, tells SELF.
In other moments in time, you may have been able to just agree to disagree with friends or family members who hold strong beliefs that are completely unsubstantiated. But when those beliefs could put their health—and the health of others—in danger, it might seem impossible (not to mention negligent) to just let it go. We talked to experts with a specific focus on conspiracy theories to find out how to handle this very unique situation we’re in.
What makes people prone to believing conspiracy theories?
There’s nothing new about conspiracy theories, and they’re not unique to the pandemic. So how do they start, and why are they so believable?
Some researchers argue that the human brain is hardwired to see potentially dangerous patterns and that this is an evolutionary survival advantage, although many experts don’t believe there’s enough evidence to back up this concept. It could just be possible that a conspiracy theory gives us an explanation when we’re craving one—and if that explanation happens to reinforce our world view, even better.
It’s also possible that a region’s specific culture can play a role in the kinds of conspiracy theories that take hold. For instance, in the U.S., American ideals of egalitarianism and individualism, a distrust of elites, and a fear of outsiders can feed conspiratorial thinking. “Anything that encroaches on that could be seen as a conspiracy,” says Knight. That doesn’t mean Americans are necessarily more susceptible to conspiracy theories. “Every country’s culture contributes to the theories their citizens believe in,” Joseph Uscinski, an associate professor of political science at the University of Miami and a recognized expert in conspiracy theories, tells SELF.
No matter where you live, experts who study conspiracy theories say a few factors may encourage conspiratorial thinking:
Plenty of research suggests that certain people have a psychological predisposition to believing conspiracy theories, though there isn’t enough convincing evidence to pin it to one specific psychological characteristic. “People who generally explain events in the world with conspiracies are more likely to believe any one theory,” Joanne Miller, a psychology professor at the University of Delaware department of political science who studies conspiracy theorists, tells SELF. Conspiracy theories may be especially attractive for people who feel powerless, because they create a sense of identity, belonging, and being in the know. “Somehow the rest of the world missed this, but you, sitting behind your computer, put the pieces together,” says Knight.
Research suggests that conspiracy theories provide a simple explanation to threatening, uncertain, and complex events that undermine our sense of control. “That can make us connect dots that shouldn’t be connected,” says Miller.
For instance, the coronavirus has certainly upended our lives, and we still don’t fully understand its origins or how to stop it. Ozan Kuru, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania who studies the challenges of public understanding of scientific evidence, explains to SELF that it can be hard for some people to accept that scientists openly acknowledge the limitations of their knowledge. “It’s easier to wrap your head around the idea of human actors being responsible for catastrophe than to acknowledge that life is largely random and unfair,” Joshua Hart, an associate professor of psychology at Union University who studies conspiracy theories, tells SELF.
That said, it’s worth noting that there’s no evidence that COVID-19 has increased conspiracy theories. “We shouldn’t confuse the fact that we’re paying a lot of attention to [COVID-19] with the view that conspiracy theories might be rising,” says Uscinski. Instead, it may be that uncertainty in general is a fertile ground for conspiracy theories.
“We all tend to be attracted to information that supports our beliefs,” says Miller. Some people may not actually believe a conspiracy theory itself, but they might spread it to contradict the opposing political party and support their own values or political cause. Miller says research doesn’t show that one political party is more conspiratorial; “rather, we see conservatives believe different conspiracy theories than liberals,” she says. A 2017 study found that even people who score high on rational and intellectual metrics subscribe to conspiracy theories, possibly because they were emotionally or ideologically invested and found ways to persuade themselves.
In the case of COVID-19, President Trump has been widely criticized for his handling of the pandemic, so some of his supporters may espouse conspiracy theories as a way to absolve him and scapegoat others, says Uscinski. A recent study found that 29% of people believe COVID-19 was exaggerated to damage President Trump; other research suggests that people who relied on conservative media early on in the COVID-19 outbreak are more likely to believe conspiracy theories.
We all have various spheres of influence that we pay attention to. And those influential people, brands, or outlets “can have a direct effect on what people believe is true,” says Joseph Vitriol, a psychologist from Harvard University and political scientist at Stony Brook who studies conspiracy theories, tells SELF.
Vitriol adds that the internet often facilitates the spread of misinformation. If someone you follow and respect starts questioning something, it may cause you to question it too. For example, when President Trump questions established media outlets and scientific authorities on Twitter, it gives a megaphone to unproven claims and creates confusion that can lead to conspiratorial thinking.
When and how should you confront someone on conspiracy theories?
Before you confront your loved one about their beliefs, consider whether you have a fighting chance of changing their mind. If this is a friend who tends to believe conspiracy theories, you may have a harder time convincing them that their belief isn’t true. Any evidence you provide will be used to further prove the conspiracy theory. “You’re not going to put an atheist and a Catholic in the closet and come out with the Five Commandments,” says Uscinski.
“If they say, ‘I am really convinced of this,’ then they probably aren’t lying,” says Uscinski. “If they say, ‘Hey, I just heard this, what do you think?’ you might have a chance.” Keep in mind that if a theory supports the person’s political beliefs, it will likely be harder to convince them of something that runs counter to those beliefs, says Miller.
Still ready to talk? Convincing someone that their belief is false “is not easy to do,” says Miller. The good news is, you might be the perfect messenger: Research suggests that people may be more likely to be swayed on a conspiratorial belief if they believe the person they’re talking to is intelligent and competent. So if you already are a person that they view with respect and authority, you might be able to get somewhere. “If the person is a member of your own political group or trusts you, they may be more open to information that comes from you and more likely to change their mind,” says Vitriol.
A few tips for a productive debunking:
Consider your discussion as a conversation, not a lecture. Try to seem like you’re open to being persuaded. “Come at it not as ‘I know everything and I’m dictating the truth,’ but ask questions,” says Miller. “You get people to self-persuade that maybe this information isn’t up to snuff.”
To that point, be prepared to recognize the limits of your expertise and where there’s legitimate scientific doubt. “It’s okay not to know something. It’s not a coincidence most conspiratorialists are confident in their beliefs,” says Vitriol.
Consider the bigger purpose a conspiracy theory might serve for your loved one. Immediately dismissing their views just makes people defensive and more likely to dig in their heels. “When people feel threatened and insecure, they tend to cling most strongly to the things that give them security,” says Hart. Whatever you do, don’t ridicule the person or call them a conspiracy theorist. “We’re all wrong all the time, and people want space to correct their errors,” says Vitriol.
Think about the person’s potential underlying political, emotional, or philosophical motivations. If you share any of these, you may even want to tap into this common ground at the start of your conversation.
People who study conspiracies agree: Whatever you do, don’t restate a conspiracy theory. Simply seeing it a lot can make it seem true. “The more recognizable something is, the more likely we are to believe it,” says Miller.
This tip is mostly applicable if you’re posting online, since you’re less likely to restate a theory during an in-person discussion. Hashing out or sharing a conspiracy theory in a social media post just to refute it simply gives it more visibility that ultimately can help it to spread.
Don’t get into a tit-for-tat about the facts themselves. Instead, ask:
- What’s your source?
- Have you seen this reported elsewhere?
- Why might it not be reported elsewhere?
- Who do you believe is the most reliable source on this topic?
If the person doesn’t have a reliable source, they may begin to question whether they can trust the theory. A lot of people will also concede that they trust scientists or doctors, which gives you an opening to provide information from those sources, says Vitriol.
Share credible scientific information from online fact-checking organizations or trusted publishers with your loved one. Experts used to believe that offering authoritative facts would backfire. “What we’re finding now for a lot of people is giving facts can change an incorrect belief,” says Uscinski. Try to find a source you already know the person trusts, otherwise they may not be as receptive. “If you can easily dismiss the source, you can easily dismiss the fact,” says Miller.
This tactic works especially well if someone shares a conspiracy theory on social media: Sharing a fact-check article “is less ego-threatening” than engaging in a live debate, says Miller. Directly shooting a private message with the link “would be a nonconfrontational first step,” says Kuru. You can even try this tactic if you don’t otherwise want to engage in a debate with a loved one who seems convinced of a conspiracy theory, just to set the record straight. To avoid restating the theory, try: “There’s a lot of misinformation and discussion around the origins of COVID-19. Here’s something I found interesting about that.”
A 2016 study suggested that pointing out logistical inconsistencies of conspiracy theories helps discredit them, possibly since it highlights their absurdities. Asking lots of detailed questions undermines a person’s confidence in any given belief. “Challenging people to think deeper is the best path to change when a person is open to it,” says Vitriol.
Keep in mind, you’re not trying to argue about the facts themselves. Rather, you’re pointing out contradictions or logical flaws. For example, if the person suggests that 5G caused COVID-19 because 5G towers were built in Wuhan, China, at the same time the virus appeared there, “the fallacy is that many places around the world have seen [COVID-19] spikes that don’t have 5G towers,” says Miller. (For the record, 188 countries have coronavirus cases, while only 34 countries have 5G towers.) Or when someone says masks cause COVID-19 or fungal pneumonia, point out that doctors and nurses wear masks all day every day, and did so before the pandemic, and they are fine.
If your conversation is getting nowhere, it’s okay to move on. “At some point you just have to back off. You’re not going to change everyone’s mind,” says Miller.
And that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t continue having a fulfilling relationship with this person. “This is more of a constant in human history than something new. It’s not a reason to get mad at someone,” says Uscinski.
That said, you may need to draw a line somewhere. In the case of coronavirus, that line becomes crystal clear if a conspiracy theory puts your health at risk. If, for example, your sister believes the coronavirus isn’t real and refuses to wear a mask or take other safety precautions, it’s understandable if you aren’t comfortable allowing your children to hang out with her right now.
It’s hard to debunk a conspiracy once it has taken hold. So practice what you preach, and make sure you’re always verifying that an article or video comes from a trustworthy organization before sharing it. “We’re all susceptible to share things that confirm our beliefs. Some of those could be conspiracy theories,” says Miller.
Finally, try not to lose hope. The good news is, the same tools that may have led your loved one to fall into a conspiracy theory can be used to debunk it. “I think we should be hopeful that even though the internet has created a vast rise in disinformation, its utopian promise is still there,” says Knight.
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