Conspiracy Beliefs and Misinformation - PSY00125M
- Department: Psychology
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2026-27
Module summary
The module will introduce students to key psychological concepts in the field of conspiracytheories and, more broadly, misinformation. The focus will be on individual-level predictors of conspiracy beliefs, including mental health and well-being, as well as their individual and social outcomes.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2026-27 |
Module aims
The module will introduce students to key psychological concepts in the field of conspiracytheories and, more broadly, misinformation. The focus will be on individual-level predictors of conspiracy beliefs, including mental health and well-being, as well as their individual and social outcomes. Drawing from the fields of psychopathology and social psychology,students will explore current debates on the nature of conspiracy beliefs, why people endorse them, what their consequences are, and how to correct them. There will be an emphasis on examining relationships between research, policy, and practice.
Module learning outcomes
- To be able to explain and critically appraise the key psychological concepts and constructs related to conspiracy beliefs and misinformation;
- To be able to critically evaluate psychological models and empirical research related to conspiracy beliefs and misinformation;
- To demonstrate a critical understanding of risk and protective factors that explain individual and contextual differences in conspiracy belief endorsement;
- To be able to use knowledge gained during the module and apply it to an area ofpolicy or practice related to conspiracy beliefs and misinformation.
Module content
- Defining conspiracy theories and misinformation
- Theoretical models of conspiracy belief endorsement and development
- The role of individual factors (e.g., mental health and well-being)
- The role of contextual factors (e.g., societal crises)
- Outcomes of conspiracy beliefs (e.g., ostracism, extremism)
- Interventions against conspiracy beliefs and misinformation
- Digital technology and misinformation (e.g., social media, echo chambers)
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Module feedback
The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.
Indicative reading
Bierwiaczonek, K., van Prooijen, J.-W., van der Linden, S., & Rottweiler, B. (2025). Conspiracy Theories and Violent Extremism. In M. Obaidi & J. Kunst (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of the Psychology of Violent Extremism (pp. 166–184). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bierwiaczonek, K., Fluit, S., von Soest, T., Hornsey, M. J., & Kunst, J. R. (2024). Loneliness trajectories over three decades are associated with conspiracist worldviews in midlife. Nature Communications, 15(1), 3629. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47113-x
Biddlestone, M., Green, R., Douglas, K. M., Azevedo, F., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2025). Reasons to believe: A systematic review and meta-analytic synthesis of the motives associated with conspiracy beliefs. Psychological Bulletin, 151(1), 48. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000463
Costello, T. H., Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2024). Durably reducing conspiracy beliefs through dialogues with AI. Science, 385(6714), eadq1814. 10.1126/science.adq1814
Ecker, U. K., Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Schmid, P., Fazio, L. K., Brashier, N., ... & Amazeen, M. A. (2022). The psychological drivers of misinformation belief and its resistance to correction. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(1), 13-29. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-021-00006-y
Hornsey, M. J., Imuta, K., & Bierwiaczonek, K. (2025). Social and cognitive factors shaping conspiracy theorizing across the life course. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001847
Hornsey, M. J., Bierwiaczonek, K., Sassenberg, K., & Douglas, K. M. (2023). Individual, intergroup and nation-level influences on belief in conspiracy theories. Nature Reviews Psychology, 2(2), 85-97. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00133-0
O’Mahony, C., Brassil, M., Murphy, G., & Linehan, C. (2023). The efficacy of interventions in reducing belief in conspiracy theories: A systematic review. Plos one, 18(4), e0280902. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280902
Pummerer, L., Gkinopoulos, T., Douglas, K. M., Jolley, D., & Sassenberg, K. (2024). The Appraisal Model of Conspiracy Theories (AMCT): Highlighting Core Concepts and Potential Extensions. Psychological Inquiry, 35(3–4), 233–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2025.2454118