Mike speaks with Dr. Mathew Marques, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at La Trobe University, to discuss his recent study on conspiracy theory beliefs over time.

Despite concerns about a ‘pandemic of misinformation,’ the research involving nearly 500 Australians and New Zealanders found no overall increase in conspiracy beliefs. The study spanned events from 9/11 to COVID, presenting participants with 12 theories.

Dr. Marques highlights that while most participants tended to disagree, there were consistent believers and a small proportion whose beliefs fluctuated.

The study unveils a stable proportion of believers over time, with the most popular theory being the suppression of a cancer cure by pharmaceutical companies. Interestingly, beliefs in COVID-19 vaccine microchipping were the least popular, challenging assumptions about typical belief changes and emphasizing the need to understand individual variations in conspiracy theory beliefs.

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