Most existing methods to tackle conspiracy beliefs are ineffective, study finds

QAnon is an American political conspiracy theory and political movement. A three-month educational course on differentiating between scientific and pseudoscientific practices was found to be the most effective method to tackle conspiracy theories.

A new study has found that most existing methods to tackle conspiracy theories are ineffective but, methods focused on critical thinking or having an analytical mindset are more promising.

The study, led by researchers at University College Cork (UCC), is the first comprehensive review of its kind.

To examine approaches to reducing conspiracy beliefs, UCC researchers conducted a systematic review to analyse 25 previously published studies, with a total of 7,179 participants. 

Some studies employed straightforward counterarguments against conspiracy theories, and others used ways of priming participants to have a more analytical mindset before asking them about their conspiracy beliefs.

The analysis showed that only half of the interventions reported any significant changes in participants’ conspiracy beliefs, and only a handful produced changes with moderate or large effects. 

The findings suggest that most existing methods for changing conspiracy beliefs are ineffective. 

Notably, the most effective interventions tend to be presented to participants before the participants were exposed to conspiracy statements.

Critical thinking skills

According to Cian O’Mahony, UCC School of Applied Psychology and study lead researcher: “While the intuitive solution to countering unfounded conspiracy beliefs is to present facts and arguments that contradict the conspiracy explanation, our review indicates that this approach is among the least effective. 

"Our analysis highlights that fostering analytical mindsets and explicitly teaching critical thinking skills is a more promising method for challenging conspiracy beliefs. 

"While there is no silver bullet that can completely mitigate misinformation spread by conspiracy beliefs, our review highlights some promising trends for future research.”

The most effective methods were those that drew attention to the factual inaccuracies of conspiracy beliefs prior to presenting participants with conspiracy statements. 

Participants who were primed to have an analytical mindset were less likely to have conspiracy beliefs than controls.

A three-month educational course on differentiating between scientific and pseudoscientific practices was found to be the most effective method to tackle conspiracy theories.

Whereas, rational counterarguments that described the factual inaccuracies of conspiracy theories were found to have only very small to small effects.

Counterarguments that appealed to participants’ sense of empathy, outlining the damages that can result from conspiracy beliefs, were also found to have very small effects.

And counterarguments that attempted to ridicule those who held conspiracy beliefs also produced only very small effects in terms of reducing conspiracy beliefs.

“Further research is needed to identify strategies that best counter conspiracy beliefs through critical thinking and analytical mindsets. 

"Our aim is not to tell the public what to believe or disbelieve, but to encourage them through these interventions to critically appraise conspiracy beliefs to determine themselves what they should believe,” Mr O’Mahony said.

Professor John F Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation, said: “These findings inform us on which interventions are the most effective in terms of changing conspiracy beliefs and will have a positive effect on how society deals with the effects of conspiracy theories in the fake-news era.”