A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology highlights the negative impact that conspiracy beliefs can have on relationships. Using multiple experiments, the research demonstrates that when one person holds conspiracy beliefs, relationship satisfaction tends to decline—unless both individuals share these views.
The study addresses concerns raised by the growing presence of conspiracy theories, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and movements like QAnon. While there has been anecdotal evidence of conspiracy beliefs leading to relationship breakdowns, there has been limited empirical research on the issue until now.
“We wanted to explore the effect of conspiracy beliefs on relationships, especially as we received numerous reports from people who had experienced strain in their relationships due to differing views on conspiracy theories,” said study author Daniel Toribio-Flórez, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Kent.
The study involved a series of pilot and main studies, using both correlational and experimental designs to investigate the link between conspiracy beliefs and relationship satisfaction. In the early pilot studies, 447 participants from the UK were asked about their relationships with individuals they believed endorsed conspiracy theories. The results showed that people were less satisfied with those they perceived as conspiracy believers.
In the first main study, participants were asked to rate their relationship satisfaction with two people: one they believed endorsed conspiracy theories, and another they thought did not. As expected, participants reported lower satisfaction with the conspiracy believer and felt less emotionally and attitudinally connected to them.
The research further explored this issue using experimental designs in later studies. In one experiment, 801 participants were asked to imagine a scenario where someone they knew either endorsed or rejected a conspiracy theory. The results revealed that when participants imagined someone endorsing a conspiracy theory, they anticipated lower relationship satisfaction, especially if they themselves did not hold such beliefs.
While earlier studies focused on relationships between individuals with differing beliefs, some unexpected findings emerged. In two additional studies, participants with stronger conspiracy beliefs showed higher satisfaction with individuals who also held similar beliefs, suggesting that shared conspiracy views might strengthen some relationships.
Study 4 examined how conspiracy beliefs affect first impressions in online dating. When participants saw a dating profile endorsing a conspiracy theory, they rated the potential relationship as less satisfying compared to profiles that either rejected the theory or didn’t mention it. Interestingly, political views did not significantly affect this outcome, indicating that the effect of conspiracy beliefs on relationship satisfaction goes beyond political alignment.
In conclusion, the research confirms that conspiracy beliefs can negatively impact relationships, but only when the beliefs are not shared. The study also suggests that these beliefs can have both positive and negative effects on relationships, depending on whether both parties share them.
Despite the valuable insights, the study does have limitations, primarily relying on hypothetical scenarios, which may not fully reflect real-world behavior. However, the findings open the door for further research on how shared beliefs, including conspiracy theories, influence interpersonal relationships.
“This research aims to raise awareness of the impact that conspiracy beliefs may have on social connections and to inspire further investigation into how they shape interpersonal dynamics,” said Toribio-Flórez.
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