Episode 69: Conspiracy theories

Episode 69: Conspiracy theories

Author: Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie April 8, 2025 Duration: 1:10:39
Science Fictions
ScienceTechnology

While you here do snoring lie, Open-eyed conspiracy His time doth take.If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber, and beware: Awake, awake!

…or so said William Shakespeare—about whom there are quite a few conspiracy theories, now we come to think of it. In this episode of The Studies Show, Tom and Stuart do their best to waken you from your own slumber and open your eyes to the psychology of conspiracy theories. Why do people believe them? How do you even define a conspiracy theory? And is there anything we can do to shake people out of their mad “Truther” beliefs?

The Studies Show is sponsored by Works in Progress magazine. In the most recent issue you’ll find fascinating articles on subjects as wonderfully diverse as the land value tax, prehistoric psychopaths, and (as mentioned in this week’s episode) the history of the pineapple, the King of Fruit. Find it all for free at worksinprogress.co.

Show notes

* Loose Change, the viral 9/11 Truther video

* 2023 conspiracy theory review in Annual Review of Psychology

* Tom’s review of How to Talk to a Science Denier

* Iran-Contra; the Invasion of Poland; the Invasion of Manchuria

* The UK infected blood scandal

* Kemi Badenoch accused of giving credence to a “conspiracy theory” about the Netflix show Adolescence

* First study using the specific-conspiracy-list measure of conspiracy belief

* 2013 study proposing a broader questionnaire on conspracies

* 2022 meta-analysis of the correlates of conspiracy belief

* Theory of the psychological motivations behind conspiracy theories from 2017

* Associated meta-analysis from 2022

* Paper proposing that there are “psychological benefits” of conspiracy theories

* New York Times article on left-wing conspiracy theories during the 2024 election campaign

* 2021 paper on left- vs. right-wing conspiracy belief

* 2022 paper with cross-country data on conspiracy belief

* 2024 Science paper on how talking to GPT-4 reduces conspiracy theory belief by 20%

* David Aaronovitch’s book Voodoo Histories

Credits

The Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencefictionspod.substack.com/subscribe

Every week, Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie pull apart the biggest arguments and most confusing claims making headlines. Science Fictions isn't just about celebrating breakthroughs; it's a necessary dive into the messy, contested, and often surprising realities of how science actually works. You'll hear them unpack heated debates, examine questionable studies, and explore why even solid research can sometimes lead to public confusion. This podcast serves as a guide through the noise, separating compelling evidence from overblown narratives. Each episode feels like a conversation with two deeply informed friends who aren't afraid to ask tough questions, offering clarity on topics that matter. For anyone curious about the stories behind the science headlines, this is an essential listen. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that goes beyond the press release, grounded in a genuine fascination with how we know what we know.
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