Related topic:
Ideologies and Conspiracy Narratives
Description:
This factsheet provides a socio‑psychological overview of conspiracy theories, explaining why and how they attract followers and how underlying motives such as the need for certainty, social belonging, and existential security shape belief systems. It uses the QAnon movement as a case study to illustrate these mechanisms and discusses how media environments, community dynamics, and digital incentives (e.g., gamification) can intensify conspiratorial thinking.
Link:
Language:
English
Date:
27.02.2026
Proposed by:
PPHS
Source:
Austrian Institute for International Affairs, 2021