The spread of misinformation poses a considerable threat to public health and the
successful management of a global pandemic. For example, studies find that exposure to …

Conspiracy theories are abundant in social and political discourse, with serious
consequences for individuals, groups, and societies. However, psychological scientists have …

People differ in their general tendency to endorse conspiracy theories (that is, conspiracy
mentality). Previous research yielded inconsistent findings on the relationship between …

Despite calls for political consensus, there is growing evidence that the public response to
the COVID-19 pandemic has been politicized in the US. We examined the extent to which …

Misinformation about COVID-19 is a major threat to public health. Using five national
samples from the UK (n= 1050 and n= 1150), Ireland (n= 700), the USA (n= 700), Spain (n …

Rationale Belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories can have severe consequences; it is
therefore crucial to understand this phenomenon, in its similarities with general conspiracy …

Much like a viral contagion, misinformation can spread rapidly from one individual to
another. Inoculation theory offers a logical basis for developing a psychological “vaccine” …

Healthy democratic polities feature competing visions of a good society but also require
some level of cooperation and institutional trust. Democracy is at risk when citizens become …

The Internet has evolved into a ubiquitous and indispensable digital environment in which
people communicate, seek information, and make decisions. Despite offering various …

In the current paper, we argue that to get a better understanding of the psychological
antecedents of COVID-related science skepticism, it is pivotal to review what is known about …