Public opinion

Pathology

Sociology

Disease

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Politics

Epistemology

Philosophy

Political science

Psychology

Alternative medicine

Misinformation

Fake news

Social media

Media studies

Hoax

Medicine

Social psychology

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

Conspiracy theories started to appear on social media immediately after the first news about COVID-19. Is the virus a hoax? Is it a bioweapon designed in a Chinese laboratory? These conspiracy theories typically have an intergroup flavour, blaming one group for having some involvement in either manufacturing the virus or controlling public opinion about it. In this article, I will discuss why people are attracted to conspiracy theories in general, and why conspiracy theories seem to have flourished during the pandemic. I will discuss what the consequences of these conspiracy theories are for individuals, groups, and societies. I will then discuss some potential strategies for addressing the negative consequences of conspiracy theories. Finally, I will consider some open questions for research regarding COVID-19 conspiracy theories, in particular focusing on the potential impact of these conspiracy theories for group processes and intergroup relations.

COVID-19 conspiracy theories