Young people more prone to believe in conspiracies, research shows

Hillary Clinton killed Jeffrey Epstein. Barack Obama was not born in the United States. The pharmaceutical industry was responsible for the propagation of COVID-19.

These are conspiracies without fact, says the professor at the University of Ottawa, Daniel Stockemer, but his research shows that theories like them are gaining traction among young people.

In fact, people under 35 are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than other age groups, according to a recent study of Stockemer and Co-author Jean-Nicolas Bordeleau who surveyed more than 380,000 people internationally.

The research was recently published in the magazine Political psychology.

“Conspiracy theories are now for everyone,” Stockemer told CBC Radio All in one daypointing out that between 20 and 25 percent of the population believes in one.

“But young people are a little more likely to believe in them.”

For example, his research suggests a slight fall year after year in conspiracies to the point that an 80 -year -old has approximately 10 percent less likely to create one than a 18 -year -old.

If the problem is not addressed, Stockemer said he hopes that the “democratic setback” he has seen throughout the world continues.

“If we do not have a young population that defends the values of democracy … Who else will?”

Why do young adults believe conspiracies?

There are many reasons why young people are particularly susceptible, said Stockemer, including the fact that the political world has become more divided and chaotic.

“At this time, we are in a world of polarization,” he said. “There is no commitment, nor an average land.”

Composed that effect, Stockemer said, is that young people are “alienated” of politics as the main politicians greatly ignore their concerns, even during the last federal elections.

“The leaders did not even come to [University of Ottawa] Have a talk or anything, “he said.” And then we wonder why young people have a greater tendency to follow the populist or conspiracies route. “

Then there are technological jumps such as the Internet, smartphones and social networks, said Stockemer, which allow conspiracy and wrong information to spread, especially among young people.

Internet also exposes them to all unfortunate incidents that occurs in the world, said Carmen Celestini, which teaches at the University of Waterloo and studies misinformation, extremists and theoreticals of conspiracy.

“That fear and that perpetual sense of disaster can lead people to believe in conspiracy theories,” Cestini said, and said it was not surprised “even a bit” by the findings of Stockemer and Bordeleau.

The influencers who carry extremist opinions and conspiracies also give their spectators to someone or something to blame, he added.

No ‘Quick Solution’

Generalized conspiracies and internet inherent problems will require a “global response,” said Cestini, one that implies talking about the fears and emotions that led people to these conclusions.

“It really is [about] Having that transparent conversation with your child about what they feel, why some of these ideas could believe and where emotions behind this come from, “he said.

Stockemer said there is no “fast solution”, but improve civic education and the best regulation of erroneous information online would help.

“Bring [young people] Back, we must also include them within democratic policy much more than now, “he said.

And there could be immense consequences, he added, if we continue to neglect the susceptibility of young people to conspiracy theories.

“In the last 10 years, the number of democracies has decreased [and] Long Data Democracies like the United States [and] India is in serious danger of falling, “he said.

“If we continue the path we continue, I don’t know how long some established democracies will survive … and I think that is one of the great scope of my research.”