Those who believe in conspiracy theories are often less open to sustainability. That's according to an analysis by VU psychologist Jan-Willem van Prooijen "How belief in conspiracy theories could harm sustainability," published in Nature Human Behaviour.
In recent years, belief in conspiracy theories has become more visible. Social media allows conspiracy theories to reach a large audience more easily than in the past. Psychologist Jan-Willem van Prooijen has been investigating why people believe in conspiracy theories for some time. In a new scientific contribution, he focuses on the question of what this conspiracy thinking means for sustainability - and that turns out to be worrying.
Sustainability is the ability of societies to meet the needs of the present without jeopardizing the future of future generations. According to Van Prooijen, conspiracy thinking undermines that aspiration in several ways. It contributes to distrust toward scientific knowledge, policies and institutions, while providing an excuse to justify unsustainable behavior.
"When people feel threatened in their way of life or economic position, conspiracy theories can provide a reason to reject sustainable solutions," Van Prooijen said.
Negative impact on three pillars of sustainability
In his contribution, Van Prooijen discusses the effects of conspiracy thinking on the three pillars of sustainability: social, environmental and economic.
Social sustainability revolves around health, safety, social cohesion and human rights. Conspiracy thinking appears to be associated with unhealthy choices, reduced well-being, increasing polarization and weakened social cohesion.
Ecological sustainability focuses on combating climate change and protecting ecosystems. People who believe in conspiracies tend to be skeptical of scientific understanding around climate change. They are less likely to support measures such as carbon reduction, renewable energy or nature conservation.
Economic sustainability requires long-term thinking, cooperation and innovation. However, conspiracy thinking is often associated with low trust in others, decline in cooperation and resistance to sustainable technological innovation. It can also undermine international cooperation - essential for fair trade and global climate goals.
Although most research to date has been done in Western democratic countries, Van Prooijen emphasizes that more research is needed worldwide. After all, the rise of conspiracy thinking is not a Western phenomenon. Still, Van Prooijen's conclusion is clear: conspiracy thinking poses a real threat to sustainable societies. Anyone who wants to implement successful sustainability policies would do well to understand and address the psychological roots of conspiracy thinking.