Are they spying on us through our phones? Or is it a conspiracy theory?
Blogpost written by Aisha Zahran & Emmanuel Pazhunnana Ignatious
Key points
- A new study uncovers the effect of being in “the social media era” and believing in conspiracy theories and dubious ideas
- Previous research found an alliance between social media and conspiracy theories
- Is it your mind playing you? Are you a conspiracy thinker?
- The real reason for believing conspiracy theories is an individual’s perception and tendency to be a conspiracy thinker
Are we being watched, heard, and used to analyze our actions for a greater purpose 24/7? As Gen-Z in our social media era, we get all our information and news from TikTok, Reddit, or Instagram. As a result, it is easier for us to fall into the trap of believing doubtful ideas and misinformation. Previous research found an alliance between using social media and believing in conspiracy theories spread on social media platforms, however, join us as we delve into the real factors that shape belief in conspiracy theories, which will make us understand a complex feature in human behavior.
A new point of view: is social media the enemy or your frontal lobe?
Contrary to the frequently assumed belief that social media is the main reason behind spreading misinformation and controlling the masses’ thinking, (Enders et al., 2021) present a different viewpoint, it was suggested that believing conspiracy theories is strongly associated with individual tendencies, known as “conspiracy thinking.”
This implies that individuals more prone to digest these conspiratorial ideas are actively searching for this type of information (Uscinski et al., 2016), especially during significant events. Previous research conducted by (Jamieson & Albarracín, 2020) and (Stempel et al., 2007) highlighted the relationship between social media and misinformation, but Enders et al. questioned their angle.
Is believing in conspiracy theories and misinformation a result of social media, or is it based on individual perspectives and tendencies? This is the question that the study wants to investigate.
A closer look into the selective spread of “Fake News”
In my experience, A friend claimed that the “Earth is flat” and that NASA is hiding the real truth. He got swept by TikTok videos about it and fell into the trap of conspiracy thinking, trying to convince everyone, without solid evidence. Eventually, he thought of it rationally and scientifically and it did not add up, so it wasn’t social media, but rather the tendency to conspiracy thinking. Moreover, other studies that were used by the article found that sharing “fake news” including conspiracy theories is driven by a small percentage of users. This shows that such content is not widely shared on platforms. Additionally, our paper supports this, indicating that individuals with low conspiracy thinking levels have lower chances of believing these theories and misinformation as they do not seek it but rather are unintentionally exposed to it online (Enders et al., 2021).
Addressing the psychology and root cause behind believing conspiracy theories and misinformation
People tend to search for content that matches their preferences and beliefs and disregard contradictory angles. Our paper highlights that there is a contingent relationship between social media use and belief in conspiracy theories. Our research finding is that it comes to the level of susceptibility to conspiracy beliefs and perhaps users who get their news online are more prone to that (Enders et al., 2021).
Research Study Methods and Results implemented in the paper
Key points from the First Study: what was discovered
(Enders et al., 2021) conducted two studies to test their claims, the first study aimed to understand the relationship between different types of social media usage and beliefs in various conspiracy theories. A total of 2,023 participants in the study were representative of U.S. Census demographics of 2010. They examined the endorsement of 15 conspiracy beliefs and feelings about the QAnon movement. They examined three big factors: the respondents‘ primary news sources, their social media use frequency, and their propensity to endorse conspiracy theories.
The study found that people who got their news from social media were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories compared to those who used traditional media. Additionally, frequent social media use increased these beliefs.
In summary, this research discovery reveals that people’s previous beliefs provoke them to find information that will support their views. The people who at some point believe in conspiracy theories most often, turn to social media to find content that confirms their beliefs.
Overview of the Second Study
In Study 2, researchers looked at how social media influences beliefs about COVID-19 conspiracy theories and misinformation, particularly among people who already tend to think conspiratorially. They surveyed over 1000 adults in the U.S. and found that those who in the first place use social media, especially Twitter and Instagram, are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and misinformation, like using unproven treatments.
This effect was strongest among people who are already prepared to believe in conspiracies, showing that social media reinforces the beliefs they already have. In contrast, those who don’t usually believe in conspiracies are less affected, meaning social media mainly reinforces the views of those who already have those tendencies. These findings highlight the urgent need to address misinformation, especially in public health, where false information can have serious consequences.
Conclusion
Social media is a hotly debated factor in the spread of conspiracy theories. They expose us to vast information. In a nutshell, believing in conspiracy theories depends more on individual-level „conspiracy thinking“ than on social media alone. Social media plays a big role in shaping belief in conspiracy theories, especially for people who already have certain biases or mainly get their news from places like Facebook and YouTube. Social media fuels the spread of conspiracy theories, but it’s really our mindsets that matter most. Rather than solely focusing on regulating content, fostering critical thinking could be a more effective approach to combat misinformation and lessen belief in these theories.
Read more
Enders et al. (2021): The Relationship Between Social Media Use and Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11109-021-09734-6