People Prone to Anger Are ‘More Likely’ to Believe Conspiracy Theories, New Research Suggests

Researchers believe anger may also be a “unique predictor of conspiracy beliefs,” according to a newly released report

People who experience anger more frequently are “more likely” to believe conspiracy theories than others, according to new research.

In a report published in the Journal of Research in Personality, researchers from Australia and Poland suggested that individuals who are more susceptible to anger are more susceptible to conspiracy beliefs, no matter how specific or general they might be.

The studies come after researchers noticed a rise in conspiracy theories and beliefs after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a subject that was directly addressed in two of the four studies conducted with Polish and American participants.

There were 363 Polish participants in the first study, 422 in the second, 248 in the third and 141 Americans in the fourth, PsyPost reports.

“Generic conspiracy beliefs” and “novel” conspiracy theories were addressed in the third and fourth studies, respectively, according to the newly released report.

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The studies not only showed a positive association between anger and conspiracy beliefs, but also suggested that anger may also be a “unique predictor of conspiracy beliefs,” according to researchers.

Additionally, angry people “were even more likely to believe conspiracy theories when their situational anger was increased,” according to the report.

“The main conclusion … is that people who are more prone to experience anger are also more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, regardless of their content,” study author Kinga Szymaniak, a research associate at the University of New South Wales, told PsyPost. 

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Researchers also determined that “manipulated anger” increased conspiracy beliefs among individuals who were seemingly more prone to anger, Szymaniak told PsyPost.

It’s a “surprising” and “exciting” finding that suggests there may be “something unique about anger that makes it a predictor of conspiracy beliefs,” she added.

However, more research is needed to understand the connection between all emotions, including anger, and conspiracy beliefs.

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“A better understanding of this relationship is likely to help us develop practical approaches to reduce the spread of harmful conspiracy beliefs by improving how we manage and handle anger,” Szymaniak said in the newly released report, according to PerthNow.

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