Flags for conspiracy theory movement QAnon were seen at the protest in Wellington last week. Already, study leader Dr Matt Williams and his colleagues have found around half of Kiwis believe in at least one of 15 unfounded conspiracy theories. "That said, I don't believe there is currently strong evidence that people are any more likely to believe misinformation or conspiracy theories now than in the past. "And sometimes such conspiracy theories can cause harm - as we saw when some people set fire to cell phone towers right here in New Zealand." "And do negative psychological experiences such as stress, depression, and reduced trust lead to increased belief in conspiracy theories?

Source: Otago Daily Times November 14, 2021 09:20 UTC