Conspiracy beliefs positively predict health behaviors and well-being during a pandemic

Van Prooijen, J., Etienne, T., Kutiyski, Y., and Krouwel, A. (2021) Conspiracy beliefs positively predict health behavior and well-being during a pandemic. Psychological Medicine, 1-8. doi: 10.1017 / S0033291721004438

Commentary

Beliefs about conspiracies have been associated with adverse health attitudes during the Covid-19 pandemic, but most research on this issue has been cross-sectional and limited to attitudes and behavioral intentions.

This study investigated the extent to which conspiracy beliefs predict health behaviors and well-being over time.

This preregistered, multiwave study examined whether conspiracy beliefs early in the pandemic (April 2020) predicted a range of specific health and well-being outcomes over an 8-month period later (December 2020; N = 5745).

Results revealed that Covid-19 conspiracy beliefs prospectively predicted a decrease in the likelihood of being tested for coronas.

If you are tested, you are more likely to test positive.

In addition, they showed an increased likelihood of violating corona regulations, worse economic outcomes (unemployment, decreased income), experiencing social rejection, and decreased overall well-being.

These effects can be generalized to a broader susceptibility to conspiracy theories.