Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

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A01=Jan-Willem van Prooijen
anomalistic
Author_Jan-Willem van Prooijen
belief
belief formation
Category=JBGX
Category=JHB
Category=JHM
Category=JMH
collective delusions
conspiracy
debunking pseudoscience
eq_bestseller
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_new_release
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
everything
existential threat psychology
groupthink dynamics
Jan-Willem Van Prooijen
psychological mechanisms behind conspiracy beliefs
psychology
social cognition
theories

Product details

  • ISBN 9781032870571
  • Weight: 390g
  • Dimensions: 129 x 198mm
  • Publication Date: 22 Dec 2025
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
  • Publication City/Country: GB
  • Product Form: Hardback
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Who believes in conspiracy theories, and why are some people more susceptible to them than others? What are the consequences of such beliefs? Has a conspiracy theory ever turned out to be true? The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories debunks the myth that conspiracy theories are a modern phenomenon, exploring their broad social contexts, from politics to the workplace. The book explains why some people are more susceptible to these beliefs than others and how they are produced by recognizable and predictable psychological processes. Updated throughout and now featuring examples from the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Capitol Hill riots, this new edition of The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories shows us that while such beliefs are not always irrational and are not a pathological trait, they can be harmful to individuals and society.

Jan-Willem van Prooijen is Associate Professor of Social Psychology at VU Amsterdam, senior researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, and Endowed Professor of Radicalization, Extremism, and Conspiracy Thinking at Maastricht University.

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