Propagating COVID-19 conspiracy theories : the influence of right-wing sources

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.