2023/03/10 by Luisa Liekefett, Ann-Kathrin Bürner, Julia C. Becker · 1 voice · 2 citations
Neuroscience · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment #COVID-19 and Mental Health #Misinformation and Its Impacts
paper · pdf · doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000509
Abstract: To reduce the spread of COVID-19, adherence to protective measures was crucial around the world. While most complied with these measures, a vocal minority protested against them. Early reports emphasized the unusual heterogeneity of these protests: Hippies and esoterics marched alongside conspiracy theorists and neo-Nazis. We examined what these protestors might (and might not) have in common. A large study with antilockdown protestors in Germany ( N = 1,700) revealed four subgroups: centrists, politically undifferentiated, left-wingers, and right-wingers. Beyond that, these subgroups demonstrated striking similarities: All endorsed conspiracy beliefs, misinformation, esotericism, and vaccine hesitancy to a similar extent. These beliefs share that they are scientifically unfounded and epistemically unwarranted. They may unite individuals from diverse political backgrounds in the antilockdown protests.