Code

Code for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Pummerer, Lotte
Böhm, Robert
Lilleholt, Lau
Winter, Kevin
Zettler, Ingo
Sassenberg, Kai

Abstract / Description

Code for: Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Conspiracy Theories and Their Societal Effects During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 194855062110002. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
During COVID-19, conspiracy theories were intensely discussed in the media. Generally, both believing in conspiracy theories (i.e., explanations for events based on powerholders’ secret arrangements) and being confronted with a conspiracy theory have been found to predict cognition and behavior with negative societal effects, such as low institutional trust. Accordingly, believing in conspiracy theories around COVID-19 should reduce institutional trust, support of governmental regulations and their adoption, and social engagement (e.g., helping members of risk groups). We tested these predictions in a national random sample survey, an experiment, and a longitudinal study (N total = 1,213; all studies were preregistered). Indeed, believing in and being confronted with a COVID-19 conspiracy theory decreased institutional trust, support of governmental regulations, adoption of physical distancing, and—to some extent—social engagement. Findings underscore the severe societal effects of conspiracy theories in the context of COVID-19.

Keyword(s)

conspiracy theory conspiracy mentality COVID-19 trust social influence

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2021-03-05

Publisher

PsychArchives

Is referenced by

Citation

Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Code for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. PsychArchives. http://dx.doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4660
  • 2
    2021-03-05
    During the publication process, the numbering of the tables changed, so references in the code needed to be updated. Additionally, regression analyses are now written for every DV separately, allowing different missings for each DV.
  • 1
    2021-02-19
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Pummerer, Lotte
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Böhm, Robert
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Lilleholt, Lau
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Winter, Kevin
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Zettler, Ingo
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Sassenberg, Kai
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2021-03-05T16:19:55Z
  • Made available on
    2021-02-19T16:29:49Z
  • Made available on
    2021-03-05T16:19:55Z
  • Date of first publication
    2021-03-05
  • Abstract / Description
    Code for: Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Conspiracy Theories and Their Societal Effects During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 194855062110002. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
    en
  • Abstract / Description
    During COVID-19, conspiracy theories were intensely discussed in the media. Generally, both believing in conspiracy theories (i.e., explanations for events based on powerholders’ secret arrangements) and being confronted with a conspiracy theory have been found to predict cognition and behavior with negative societal effects, such as low institutional trust. Accordingly, believing in conspiracy theories around COVID-19 should reduce institutional trust, support of governmental regulations and their adoption, and social engagement (e.g., helping members of risk groups). We tested these predictions in a national random sample survey, an experiment, and a longitudinal study (N total = 1,213; all studies were preregistered). Indeed, believing in and being confronted with a COVID-19 conspiracy theory decreased institutional trust, support of governmental regulations, adoption of physical distancing, and—to some extent—social engagement. Findings underscore the severe societal effects of conspiracy theories in the context of COVID-19.
    en
  • Publication status
    unknown
    en
  • Review status
    unknown
    en
  • Sponsorship
    Parts of the reported research has been supported by a grant by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to the last author (DFG: SA800/17-1)
    en
  • Citation
    Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Code for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. PsychArchives. http://dx.doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4660
    en
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4094.2
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4660
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychArchives
    en
  • Is referenced by
    https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4587
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
  • Keyword(s)
    conspiracy theory
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    conspiracy mentality
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    COVID-19
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    trust
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    social influence
    en
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Code for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic
    en
  • DRO type
    code
    en
  • Leibniz institute name(s) / abbreviation(s)
    IWM
    de_DE