Belief in conspiracy theories is associated with negative outcomes such as political disengagement, prejudice, and environmental inaction. The current studies - one cross-sectional (N = 253) and one experimental (N = 120) - tested the hypothesis that belief in conspiracy theories would increase intentions to engage in everyday crime. Study 1 demonstrated that belief in conspiracy theories predicted everyday crime behaviours when controlling for other known predictors of everyday crime (e.g., Honesty-Humility). Study 2 demonstrated that exposure to conspiracy theories (vs. control) increased intentions to engage in everyday crime in the future, through an increased feeling of anomie. The perception that others have conspired may therefore in some contexts lead to negative action rather than inaction.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12311DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

conspiracy theories
20
everyday crime
20
belief conspiracy
16
intentions engage
12
engage everyday
12
study demonstrated
8
theories
5
everyday
5
crime
5
belief
4

Similar Publications

Background: Correct information is an essential tool to guide thoughts, attitudes, daily choices or more important decisions such as those regarding health. Today, a huge amount of information sources and media is available. Increasing possibilities of obtaining data also require understanding and positioning skills, particularly the ability to navigate the ocean of information and to choose what is best without becoming overwhelmed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Building trust together].

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd

January 2025

Groepspraktijk Huisartsen Bergh, 's-Heerenberg.

Since the corona pandemic, there has been more distrust towards the government and official institutions, more people are attracted to conspiracy theories and society has become more polarized. This increased distrust is also reflected in doctors' consulting rooms. It can be specifically aimed at medical interventions, the prescription of medication and the use of vaccinations, but also more broadly at the doctor as a representative of the established order.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In today's post-truth times, where personal feelings and beliefs have become increasingly important, determining what is accurate knowledge has become an important skill. This is especially important during uncertainty crises (e.g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increase in conspiracy theories worldwide. However, in Japan, the prevalence of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs has remained unclear. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs using a survey of 28,175 residents of Japan aged 16-81 years old.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vaccinating care home staff is essential to protect vulnerable residents by reducing infection risks and creating a safer care environment. However, vaccine hesitancy amongst staff remains a challenge, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about side effects and vaccination mandates. This study examines how the pandemic influenced flu vaccine hesitancy amongst UK care home staff.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!