Conspiracy beliefs prospectively predict health behavior and well-being during a pandemic

[tenderfoot]

Individuals who believe in COVID conspiracy theories are more likely to test positive for Covid and violate public health regulations, as well as experience job loss, reduced income, social rejection, and decreased overall well-being.

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2021

Abstract
Background
Conspiracy beliefs are associated with detrimental health attitudes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Most prior research on these issues was cross-sectional, however, and restricted to attitudes or behavioral intentions. The current research was designed to examine to what extent conspiracy beliefs predict health behavior and well-being over a longer period of time.

Methods
In this preregistered multi-wave study on a large Dutch research panel (weighted to provide nationally representative population estimates), we examined if conspiracy beliefs early in the pandemic (April 2020) would predict a range of concrete health and well-being outcomes eight months later (December 2020; N = 5745).

Results
The results revealed that Covid-19 conspiracy beliefs prospectively predicted a decreased likelihood of getting tested for corona; if tested, an increased likelihood of the test coming out positive; and, an increased likelihood of having violated corona regulations, deteriorated economic outcomes (job loss; reduced income), experiences of social rejection, and decreased overall well-being. Most of these effects generalized to a broader susceptibility to conspiracy theories (i.e. conspiracy mentality).

Conclusions
These findings suggest that conspiracy beliefs are associated with a myriad of negative life outcomes in the long run. Conspiracy beliefs predict how well people have coped with the pandemic over a period of eight months, as reflected in their health behavior, and their economic and social well-being.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/conspiracy-beliefs-prospectively-predict-health-behavior-and-wellbeing-during-a-pandemic/9739301679DEF2B81958CBB03C5D5AC1

[Irish_Dem]

1. Adapt or die. Adapt to current reality or suffer the consequences.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. A Study That Confirms...

...what likely all of us here already believed to be true.
No surprise, but a nice confirmation of our observations.

[Hortensis]

3. People prone to irrational beliefs and overblown mistrusts of any kind

tend to fall in this group, and over years the various choices stemming from toxic distrust of "the authorities" are especially likely to cumulatively result in "negative life outcomes."