Dataset for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Pummerer, Lotte
Böhm, Robert
Lilleholt, Lau
Winter, Kevin
Zettler, Ingo
Sassenberg, Kai
Abstract / Description
Dataset for: Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Conspiracy Theories and Their Societal Effects During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 194855062110002. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
During COVID-19, conspiracy theories were intensely discussed in the media. Generally, both believing in conspiracy theories (i.e., explanations for events based on powerholders’ secret arrangements) and being confronted with a conspiracy theory have been found to predict cognition and behavior with negative societal effects, such as low institutional trust. Accordingly, believing in conspiracy theories around COVID-19 should reduce institutional trust, support of governmental regulations and their adoption, and social engagement (e.g., helping members of risk groups). We tested these predictions in a national random sample survey, an experiment, and a longitudinal study (N total = 1,213; all studies were preregistered). Indeed, believing in and being confronted with a COVID-19 conspiracy theory decreased institutional trust, support of governmental regulations, adoption of physical distancing, and—to some extent—social engagement. Findings underscore the severe societal effects of conspiracy theories in the context of COVID-19.
Keyword(s)
conspiracy theory conspiracy mentality COVID-19 trust social influencePersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2021-02-19
Publisher
PsychArchives
Is referenced by
Citation
Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Dataset for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic [Data set]. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.4587
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Data_Study1.savSPSS data file - 40.79KBMD5: 8113f4cb9c9c78965c8833f70bede9ecDescription: Data Study 1
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Data_Study2.savSPSS data file - 12.19KBMD5: ba1fed3a7914ebf45a305beaf4217aa5Description: Data Study 2
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Data_Study3.savSPSS data file - 57.98KBMD5: 875e3b4ece26a7b87f7cf4901e71d6a0Description: Data Study 3
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Codebook_Study1.csvCSV - 1.41KBMD5: 45fc76848920210a29910537f795ca61Description: Codebook Study 1
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Codebook_Study2.csvCSV - 0.51KBMD5: ef2ed502fbb5bc232a1ebf37f2994f3aDescription: Codebook Study 2
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Codebook_Study3.csvCSV - 2.35KBMD5: 1acffd582b457bfc665c4f894236c0e0Description: Codebook Study 3
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Data_Study1.csvCSV - 42.48KBMD5: 379668f29eb7af8759cf74d847c744a5Description: Data Study 1
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Data_Study1_for_mediation_analyses.csvCSV - 23.97KBMD5: 70bc664c8084c2a78f362dd87766b322Description: Data Study 1 (for mediation analyses)
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Data_Study2.csvCSV - 12.04KBMD5: dd98303cba92ade0b5e20181e4695ec6Description: Data Study 2
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Data_Study3.csvCSV - 56.34KBMD5: a6ae4c58fc7745d5c27a1593c7dd2a03Description: Data Study 3
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There are no other versions of this object.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Pummerer, Lotte
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Böhm, Robert
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Lilleholt, Lau
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Winter, Kevin
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Zettler, Ingo
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Sassenberg, Kai
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2021-02-19T16:29:51Z
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Made available on2021-02-19T16:29:51Z
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Date of first publication2021-02-19
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Abstract / DescriptionDataset for: Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Conspiracy Theories and Their Societal Effects During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 194855062110002. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217en
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Abstract / DescriptionDuring COVID-19, conspiracy theories were intensely discussed in the media. Generally, both believing in conspiracy theories (i.e., explanations for events based on powerholders’ secret arrangements) and being confronted with a conspiracy theory have been found to predict cognition and behavior with negative societal effects, such as low institutional trust. Accordingly, believing in conspiracy theories around COVID-19 should reduce institutional trust, support of governmental regulations and their adoption, and social engagement (e.g., helping members of risk groups). We tested these predictions in a national random sample survey, an experiment, and a longitudinal study (N total = 1,213; all studies were preregistered). Indeed, believing in and being confronted with a COVID-19 conspiracy theory decreased institutional trust, support of governmental regulations, adoption of physical distancing, and—to some extent—social engagement. Findings underscore the severe societal effects of conspiracy theories in the context of COVID-19.en
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Review statusunknownen
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SponsorshipParts of the reported research has been supported by a grant by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to the last author (DFG: SA800/17-1)en
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CitationPummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2021). Dataset for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic [Data set]. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.4587en
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4095
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4587
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychArchivesen
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Is referenced byhttps://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
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Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4660
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Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211000217
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Keyword(s)conspiracy theoryen
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Keyword(s)conspiracy mentalityen
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Keyword(s)COVID-19en
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Keyword(s)trusten
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Keyword(s)social influenceen
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleDataset for: Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemicen
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DRO typeresearchDataen
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Leibniz institute name(s) / abbreviation(s)IWMde_DE