Who Thinks COVID-19 is a Hoax? Psychological Correlates of Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories and Attitudes Towards Anti-Coronavirus Measures at the End of the First Lockdown in Germany

Matthias Hudecek; Peter Fischer; Susanne Gaube; Eva Lermer

doi:10.5334/jopd.64

Abstract

The reported dataset addresses potential correlates and predictors of beliefs in conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic. Different psychological constructs (self-esteem, Dark Triad personality traits, collective narcissism, political attitude, individualism/collectivism), social status, and socio-demographic variables were assessed. Data from 746 participants from all parts of Germany who study part-time while working were collected between May 26 to July 5, 2020. We used a cross-sectional online survey comprising a total of 98 items. Preliminary analysis revealed sound psychometric properties of the measures. These data provide several opportunities for further use and can be utilized for research and educational purposes. For example, comparisons can be drawn between existing research on conspiracy theories to determine whether known factors determining beliefs in conspiracy theories are also relevant for COVID-19. All data and additional materials (e.g., codebook of all items, R code) are available at https://osf.io/p6q7w/.

References

Adler, N. E., Epel, E. S., Castellazzo, G., & Ickovics, J. R. (2000). Relationship of subjective and objective social status with psychological and physiological functioning: preliminary data in healthy white women. Health Psychology, 19(6), 586–592. DOI: 10.1037//0278-6133.19.6.586
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Alper, S., Bayrak, F., & Yilmaz, O. (2021). Psychological correlates of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and preventive measures: Evidence from Turkey. Current Psychology, 40(11), 5708–5717. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-020-00903-0
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Azevedo, F., Pavlović, T., Rêgo, G. G. d., Ay, F. C., Gjoneska, B., Etienne, T., … Sampaio, W. M. (2022, May 18). Social and moral psychology of COVID-19 across 69 countries. DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/a3562
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Berger, A., & Kiefer, M. (2021). Comparison of Different Response Time Outlier Exclusion Methods: A Simulation Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 675558. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.675558
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Betsch, C., Wieler, L., Bosnjak, M., Ramharter, M., Stollorz, V., Omer, S., Korn, L., Sprengholz, P., Felgendreff, L., Eitze, S., & Schmid, P. (2020). Germany COVID-19 Snapshot MOnitoring (COSMO Germany): Monitoring knowledge, risk perceptions, preventive behaviours, and public trust in the current coronavirus outbreak in Germany. DOI: 10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.2776
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bierwiaczonek, K., Kunst, J. R., & Pich, O. (2020). Belief in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Reduces Social Distancing over Time. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 12(4), 1270–1285. DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12223
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Breyer, B. (2015). Left-Right Self-Placement (ALLBUS). Zusammenstellung sozialwissenschaftlicher Items und Skalen. DOI: 10.6102/zis83
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cichocka, A., Marchlewska, M., & Golec de Zavala, A. (2016). Does self-love or self-hate predict conspiracy beliefs? Narcissism, self-esteem, and the endorsement of conspiracy theories. Social Psychological & Personality Science, 7, 157–166. DOI: 10.1177/1948550615616170
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cichocka, A., Marchlewska, M., Golec de Zavala, A., & Olechowski, M. (2016). “They will not control us”: In-group positivity and belief in intergroup conspiracies. British Journal of Psychology, 107, 556–576. DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12158
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Crocker, J., Luhtanen, R., Broadnax, S., & Blaine, B. E. (1999). Belief in U.S. government conspiracies against Blacks among Black and White college students: Powerlessness or system blame? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 941–953. DOI: 10.1177/01461672992511003
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2017). The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(6), 538–542. DOI: 10.1177/0963721417718261
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Earnshaw, V. A., Eaton, L. A., Kalichman, S. C., Brousseau, N. M., Hill, E. C., & Fox, A. B. (2020). COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, health behaviors, and policy support. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 10(4), 850–856. DOI: 10.1093/tbm/ibaa090
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Einstein, K. L., & Glick, D. (2015). How exposure to conspiracy theories can reduce trust in government. USApp – American Politics and Policy Blog. http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2015/11/13/how-exposure-to-conspiracy-theories-can-reduce-trust-in-government/
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Golec de Zavala, A., Cichocka, A., Eidelson, R., & Jayawickreme, N. (2009). Collective narcissism and its social consequences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97(6), 1074–1096. DOI: 10.1037/a0016904
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Imhoff, R., & Lamberty, P. (2020). A bioweapon or a hoax? The link between distinct conspiracy beliefs about the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and pandemic behavior. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 11(8), 1110–1118. DOI: 10.1177/1948550620934692
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jolley, D., & Douglas, K. M. (2014). The effects of anti- vaccine conspiracy theories on vaccination intentions. PLOS ONE, 9(2), Article e89177. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089177
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jonason, P. K., & Webster, G. D. (2010). The dirty dozen: a concise measure of the dark triad. Psychological Assessment, 22(2), 420–432. DOI: 10.1037/a0019265
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kostka, G., & Habich-Sobiegalla, S. (2022). In times of crisis: Public perceptions toward COVID-19 contact tracing apps in China, Germany, and the United States. New Media & Society. DOI: 10.1177/14614448221083285
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Küfner, A. C. P., Dufner, M., & Back, M. D. (2015). Das Dreckige Dutzend und die Niederträchtigen Neun. Diagnostica, 61(2), 76–91. DOI: 10.1026/0012-1924/a000124
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lermer, E., Hudecek, M. F. C., Gaube, S., Raue, M., & Batz, F. (2021). Early and later perceptions and reactions to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: On predictors of behavioral responses and guideline adherence during the restrictions. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 769206. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769206
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lermer, E., Streicher, B., Sachs, R., & Frey, D. (2013). How risky? The impact of target person and answer format on risk assessment. Journal of Risk Research, 16, 903–919. DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2012.761267
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2022). Conspiracy Theories and Their Societal Effects During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 13(1), 49–59. DOI: 10.1177/19485506211000217
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Robins, R. W., Hendin, H. M., & Trzesniewski, K. H. (2001). Measuring global self-esteem: Construct validation of a single-item measure and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(2), 151–161. DOI: 10.1177/0146167201272002
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rothmund, T., Farkhari, F., Ziemer, C., & Azevedo, F. (2020, July 13). Scientific Trust, Risk Assessment, and Conspiracy Beliefs about COVID-19 – Four Patterns of Consensus and Disagreement between Scientific Experts and the German Public. DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/4nzuy
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schmerge, H. (2014). Acceptatie van liegen ten opzichte van groepscategorisatie [Bachelor-Thesis, Universiteit Twente]. Twente.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Statistisches Bundesamt. (2021, September 09). Postleitregionen mit regionaler Zugehörigkeit nach Fläche, Bevölkerung und Bevölkerungsdichte am 31.12.2020. https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Laender-Regionen/Regionales/Gemeindeverzeichnis/Administrativ/21-postleit-regionen.html
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Steinmetz, H., Batzdorfer, V., Scherhag, J., & Bosnjak, M. (2021). The ZPID Lockdown Measures Dataset for Germany [Data set]. PsychArchives. DOI: 10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.5277
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Tonković, M., Dumančić, F., Jelić, M., & Čorkalo Biruški, D. (2021). Who Believes in COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories in Croatia? Prevalence and Predictors of Conspiracy Beliefs. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 643568. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643568
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Triandis, H. C., & Gelfand, M. J. (1998). Converging Measurement of Horizontal and Vertical Individualism and Collectivism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(1), 118–128. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.74.1.118
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Uscinski, J. E., & Parent, J. M. (2014). American Conspiracy Theories. Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199351800.001.0001
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Van Bavel, J. J., Baicker, K., Boggio, P. S., Capraro, V., Cichocka, A., Cikara, M., Crockett, M. J., Crum, A. J., Douglas, K. M., Druckman, J. N., Drury, J., Dube, O., Ellemers, N., Finkel, E. J., Fowler, J. H., Gelfand, M., Han, S., Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., … Willer, R. (2020). Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response. Nature Human Behaviour, 4(5), 460–471. DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0884-z
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Van Bavel, J. J., Cichocka, A., Capraro, V., Sjåstad, H., Nezlek, J. B., …, & Boggio, P. (2022). National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature Communications, 13, 517. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27668-9
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
van Mulukom, V., Pummerer, L. J., Alper, S., Bai, H., Čavojová, V., Farias, J., Kay, C. S., Lazarevic, L. B., Lobato, E. J. C., Marinthe, G., Pavela Banai, I., Šrol, J., & Žeželj, I. (2022). Antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 301, 114912. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114912
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Van Prooijen, J. W., & Douglas, K. M. (2017). Conspiracy theories as part of history: The role of societal crisis situations. Memory Studies, 10, 323–333. DOI: 10.1177/1750698017701615
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Vezzoni, C., Dotti Sani, G. M., Chiesi, A. M., Ladini, R., Biolcati, F., Guglielmi, S., Maggini, N., Maraffi, M., Molteni, F., Pedrazzani, A., & Segatti, P. (2022). Where does the Coronavirus come from? On the mechanisms underlying the endorsement of conspiracy theories on the origin of SARS-CoV-2. Italian Political Science Review/Rivista Italiana Di Scienza Politica, 52(1), 51–65. DOI: 10.1017/ipo.2021.19
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wood, M. J. (2017). Conspiracy suspicions as a proxy for beliefs in conspiracy theories: Implications for theory and measurement. British Journal of Psychology, 108(3), 507–527. DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12231
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Yang, Z., Luo, X., & Jia, H. (2021). Is It All a Conspiracy? Conspiracy Theories and People’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccination. Vaccines, 9(10). DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101051
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Zick, A., Küpper, B., & Berghan, W. (2019). Verlorene Mitte – Feindselige Zustände: Rechtsextreme Einstellungen in Deutschland 2018/19. Dietz Verlag.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Who Thinks COVID-19 is a Hoax? Psychological Correlates of Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories and Attitudes Towards Anti-Coronavirus Measures at the End of the First Lockdown in Germany

Abstract

Paradigm

My account