A longitudinal analysis of conspiracy beliefs and Covid-19 health responses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Little is known about how conspiracy beliefs and health responses are interrelated over time during the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. This longitudinal study tested two contrasting, but not mutually exclusive, hypotheses through cross-lagged modeling. First, based on the consequential nature of conspiracy beliefs, we hypothesize that conspiracy beliefs predict an increase in detrimental health responses over time. Second, as people may rationalize their behavior through conspiracy beliefs, we hypothesize that detrimental health responses predict increased conspiracy beliefs over time.

Methods

We measured conspiracy beliefs and several health-related responses (i.e. physical distancing, support for lockdown policy, and the perception o

SUBMITTER: van Prooijen JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10482717 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature