We don’t have any viable way of countering conspiracy theories
Beliefs in conspiracy theories can damage societies and individuals, but the only effective ways to counter them are impractical, according to a review
By Michael Le Page
5 April 2023
Several conspiracy theories flourished during the covid-19 pandemic
John B Hewitt/Alamy
The vast majority of methods for quashing belief in conspiracy theories have little or no effect and the ones that do work are impractical. That is the conclusion of a review of 25 studies assessing various methods of tackling unfounded beliefs in secret plots.
Conspiracy theories, such as the untrue belief that coronavirus vaccines are a way to implant microchips, can affect people’s health or lead to antisocial behaviour, says Cian O’Mahony at University College Cork in Ireland. But while many studies have assessed ways of debunking false beliefs in general, few have looked specifically at conspiracy theories, he says.
They are particularly hard to debunk because anyone trying to contest them is seen as part of the conspiracy. “They say, ‘Of course, you will say that’,” says O’Mahony.
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He and his colleagues decided to review the evidence so far to see what works and what doesn’t. They found just 25 studies meeting their criteria, which includes a definition of conspiracy theories as involving a belief that something is being actively covered up for a nefarious purpose.
Methods such as presenting rational counterarguments, ridicule or labelling conspiracy theories as such aren’t effective at countering either specific conspiracy theories or people’s general tendency to believe them, the review concludes. In fact, one study found that the labelling method backfired by slightly increasing conspiracy beliefs.
Priming methods that aim to boost people’s critical thinking before they are exposed to conspiracy theories did work, but not very well – the effects were usually small.
