Conspiracy belief is a conspiracy

The public is said to be misled by Internet fakery amplified by social media, which contributes to conspiracy belief among those on the political right who feel dispossessed and powerless. In fact, conspiracy belief is difficult to attribute to any one political complexion or social stratum. Uncritical social surveys, especially if taken too literally, easily misrepresent conservative respondents, and the consequent negativity towards them is often exaggerated. Those accusing others of conspiracy belief are at least equally susceptible to the alleged predisposing factor of motivated reasoning.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Public Understanding of Science
Published
2026-02-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625261416076
Primary Topic
Misinformation and Its Impacts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Conspiracy belief is a conspiracy

Philip J. Wilson
Public Understanding of Science
Misinformation and Its Impacts
article

Conspiracy belief is a conspiracy

Philip J. Wilson
article en

Abstract

The public is said to be misled by Internet fakery amplified by social media, which contributes to conspiracy belief among those on the political right who feel dispossessed and powerless. In fact, conspiracy belief is difficult to attribute to any one political complexion or social stratum. Uncritical social surveys, especially if taken too literally, easily misrepresent conservative respondents, and the consequent negativity towards them is often exaggerated. Those accusing others of conspiracy belief are at least equally susceptible to the alleged predisposing factor of motivated reasoning.

Public Understanding of Science
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 59%
Misinformation and Its Impacts
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Conspiracy belief is a conspiracy — Philip J. Wilson · Public Understanding of Science (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS