COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs and their relationship with perceived stress and pre-existing conspiracy beliefs

Georgiou, Neophytos; Delfabbro, Paul; Balzan, Ryan

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.110201

Cited by 252 publications

(306 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Another barrier to COVID-19 vaccination was the COVID-19 conspiracy theory, which has spread very rapidly around the world [9,27,28] via social media platforms, precisely where the study participants were recruited. This scenario may indicate that future studies should use a different sampling population via purposive sampling by rst testing the susceptibility potential participants to believe in conspiracy theories.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beliefs and Barriers Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Among the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Magadmi

Kamel

2020

Preprint

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Background: Developing a vaccine against COVID-19 is considered a key strategy to end the pandemic. However, public acceptance is reliant on beliefs and perception toward the vaccine. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the beliefs and barriers associated with COVID-19 vaccination among the Saudi population. Methods: An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed across the main regions of Saudi Arabia on May 2020. The questionnaire addressed the socio-demographic variables, beliefs toward COVID-19 vaccination, and potential barriers that may prevent participants from being vaccinated. The association between COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and sociodemographic variables were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predicting variables of vaccine acceptance.Results: Out of 3,101 participants, 44.7% are accepting of COVID-19 vaccination if available, whereas 55.3% admitted hesitancy. Younger, male, with secondary education, history of taking previous seasonal influenza vaccine, and positive belief toward COVID-19 vaccination are more likely to accept. The study found that concerns about side effects were the key barrier for vaccine acceptance. Furthermore, the majority of refusers will accept the vaccine if additional studies confirmed safety and effectiveness. Conclusion: Results can be utilized in planning vaccination campaigns while waiting for vaccine development.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beliefs and Barriers Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Among the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Magadmi

Kamel

2020

Preprint

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“…Also, medical conspiracy theories have been shown to be related to risky health behaviours, such as not getting vaccinations, rejection of conventional medicine and seeking alternative treatments (e.g. Bogart, Wagner, Galvan, & Banks, 2010 ; Georgiou, Delfabbro, & Balzan, 2020 ; Jolley & Douglas, 2014 ; Lamberty & Imhoff, 2018 ; Setbon & Raude, 2010 ). Such a tendency to challenge official findings and facts can have particularly dangerous consequences during a pandemic by, for example, reducing people's willingness to comply with anti-pandemic recommendations or their pro-sociality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Content matters. Different predictors and social consequences of general and government-related conspiracy theories on COVID-19

Oleksy

Wnuk

Maison

et al. 2021

Personality and Individual Differences

139

149

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In times of crisis, people are more prone to endorse conspiracy theories. Conspiracy thinking provides answers about the causes of an event, but it can also have harmful social consequences. Our research tested both the predictor and the consequences of two types of conspiracy beliefs related to the Covid-19 pandemic: (1) general conspiracy beliefs and (2) government-related conspiracy theories. In two studies in Poland (N total = 2726), we found that a perceived lack of individual control predicted both types of conspiracy theories, while a sense of collective control was positively related to general conspiracy beliefs but negatively associated with government-related conspiracy theories. Moreover, general conspiracy theories were related to the acceptance of xenophobic policies and to a less favourable attitude towards outgroups whereas government-related conspiracy theories were not. Additionally, people who believed in conspiratorial governments less frequently indicated that they used prevention methods, such as social distancing and handwashing. Our research demonstrates the importance of considering the content of various conspiracy theories when studying their social effects and potential causes. Knowing which attitudes may be associated with the endorsement of specific conspiracy theories can contribute to counteracting their negative consequences during crises.

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“…The potential negative effects of COVID-19 misinformation have been the subject of active research since the onset of the pandemic [8,[18][19][20][21][22]. Our previous investigation of this topic entailed students at the University of Jordan (UJ) with results pointed to an association between the belief in conspiracy regarding the origin of the virus and a lower COVID-19 knowledge accompanied with higher anxiety level [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 misinformation: mere harmless delusions or much more? A knowledge and attitude cross-sectional study among the general public residing in Jordan

Sallam

Dababseh

Yaseen

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Since the emergence of the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its spread as a pandemic, media was teeming with misinformation that led to psychologic, social and economic consequences among the global public. Probing knowledge and anxiety regarding this novel infectious disease is necessary to identify gaps and sources of misinformation which can help public health efforts to design and implement more focused interventional measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and effects of misinformation about COVID-19 on anxiety level among the general public residing in Jordan. An online survey was used that targeted people aged 18 and above and residing in Jordan. The questionnaire included items on the following: demographic characteristics of the participants, knowledge about COVID-19, anxiety level and misconceptions regarding the origin of the pandemic. The total number of participants included in final analysis was 3150. The study population was predominantly females (76.0%), with mean age of 31 years. The overall knowledge of COVID-19 was satisfactory. Older age, male gender, lower monthly income and educational levels, smoking and history of chronic disease were associated with perceiving COVID-19 as a very dangerous disease. Variables that were associated with a higher anxiety level during the pandemic included: lower monthly income and educational level, residence outside the capital (Amman) and history of smoking. Misinformation about the origin of the pandemic (being part of a conspiracy, biologic warfare and the 5G networks role) was also associated with higher anxiety and lower knowledge about the disease. Social media platforms, TV and news releases were the most common sources of information about the pandemic. The study showed the potential harmful effects of misinformation on the general public and emphasized the need to meticulously deliver timely and accurate information about the pandemic to lessen the health, social and psychological impact of the disease.

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COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs and their relationship with perceived stress and pre-existing conspiracy beliefs

Cited by 252 publications

References 43 publications

Beliefs and Barriers Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Among the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Beliefs and Barriers Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Among the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Content matters. Different predictors and social consequences of general and government-related conspiracy theories on COVID-19

COVID-19 misinformation: mere harmless delusions or much more? A knowledge and attitude cross-sectional study among the general public residing in Jordan

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