Effects of Ideology and Participation on Electoral Conspiracy Endorsement

• In Event: Foreign Policy & Comparative Politics in Advanced Industrial Societies & Ideas, Knowledge and Politics Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual Poster Session: Ideas and Knowledge as Causal Variables Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

From voting fraud to Russian interference, electoral conspiracy theories have circulated on social media since the 2016 presidential election with alarming magnitude. This study selects popular conspiracies reflecting various political ideologies and conducts multiple survey rounds (n=500) to compare and contrast the effect of partisan affiliations on conspiracy endorsement. Based on econometric modeling and the theories of conspiracy mentality, motivated reasoning, as well as the social aspects of conspiracy adoption, the results indicate that higher levels of political affiliation and knowledge correlate to stronger conspiracy endorsement for conservative conspiracy beliefs over liberal ones. Additionally, increased political participation heightens the endorsement of liberal conspiracy theories among both Republicans and Democrats.

Authors

• Yanru Jiang, University of California Los Angeles

• Xin Jin, City University of Hong Kong