title: Changing Conspiracy Beliefs through Rationality and Ridiculing.
abstract: Conspiracy theory (CT) beliefs can be harmful. How is it possible to reduce them effectively? Three reduction strategies were tested in an online experiment using general and well-known CT beliefs on a comprehensive randomly assigned Hungarian sample (N= 813): exposing rational counter CT arguments, ridiculing those who hold CT beliefs, and empathizing with the targets of CT beliefs. Several relevant individual differences were measured. Rational and ridiculing arguments were effective in reducing CT, whereas empathizing with the targets of CTs had no effect. Individual differences played no role in CT reduction, but the perceived intelligence and competence of the individual who conveyed the CT belief-reduction information contributed to the success of the CT belief reduction. Rational arguments targeting the link between the object of belief and its characteristics appear to be an effective tool in fighting conspiracy theory beliefs.
authors: Department of Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of SciencesBudapest, Hungary.
authors: Gábor
authors: G
authors: Orosz
authors: Department of Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Central Eurasian Studies Department, Indiana UniversityBloomington, IN, USA.
authors: Péter
authors: P
authors: Krekó
authors: Department of Psychology, University College London London, UK.
authors: Benedek
authors: B
authors: Paskuj
authors: Department of Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary.
authors: István
authors: I
authors: Tóth-Király
authors: Department of Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary; Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary.
authors: Beáta
authors: B
authors: Bőthe
authors: C2S, Department of Psychology, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne Rheims, France.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Roland-Lévy
keywords: belief; conspiracy theory; empathy; rationality; ridiculing