Propagating COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories: The Influence of Right-Wing Sources

Wenting Yu, Zhicong Chen, Xiang Meng and Qing Yan

SAGE Open, 2024, vol. 14, issue 2, 21582440241258026

Abstract: Although the growing literature on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conspiracy theories has highlighted the role of digital media in fomenting beliefs, few studies have examined the influence of the fast-rising far-right media platforms. This study examines and compares the role of conservative media and far-right websites in propagating COVID-19 conspiracy theories and explores an underlying sociopsychological mechanism of political identity. The results of an online survey ( N  = 702) in the United States indicated that people exposed to conservative media and far-right websites were more likely to endorse COVID-19 conspiracy theories, but the impact of conservative media exposure was more prominent. Additionally, the positive relations between conservative media/far-right websites exposure and conspiracy beliefs were stronger among liberal-leaning individuals than conservative-leaning individuals. Counter-attitudinal exposure is often regarded as a crucial element of political deliberation and a solution to opinion polarization. Our findings cautioned, however, that counter-attitudinal exposure would also help propagate conspiracy theories.

Keywords: conspiracy theories; COVID-19; far-right; media use; political identity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:14:y:2024:i:2:p:21582440241258026

DOI: 10.1177/21582440241258026

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