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Stolen Elections: How Conspiracy Beliefs during the 2020 American Presidential Elections Changed over Time

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  • Author(s): Wang, Haiyan (ORCID Wang, Haiyan (ORCID 0000-0001-6052-4736); van Prooijen, Jan-Willem (ORCID van Prooijen, Jan-Willem (ORCID 0000-0001-6236-0819)
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Applied Cognitive Psychology. Mar-Apr 2023 37(2):277-289.
  • Publication Date:
    2023
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      13
    • Subject Terms:
      Misconceptions; Beliefs; Theories; Elections; Political Campaigns; Cognitive Processes; Political Affiliation; Presidents; Time Perspective
    • Accession Number:
      10.1002/acp.3996
    • ISSN:
      0888-4080
      1099-0720
    • Abstract:
      Conspiracy beliefs have been studied mostly through cross-sectional designs. We conducted a five-wave longitudinal study (N = 376; two waves before and three waves after the 2020 American presidential elections) to examine if the election results influenced specific conspiracy beliefs and conspiracy mentality, and whether effects differ between election winners (i.e., Biden voters) versus losers (i.e., Trump voters) at the individual level. Results revealed that conspiracy mentality kept unchanged over 2 months, providing first evidence that this indeed is a relatively stable trait. Specific conspiracy beliefs (outgroup and ingroup conspiracy beliefs) did change over time, however. In terms of group-level change, outgroup conspiracy beliefs decreased over time for Biden voters but increased for Trump voters. Ingroup conspiracy beliefs decreased over time across all voters, although those of Trump voters decreased faster. These findings illuminate how specific conspiracy beliefs are, and conspiracy mentality is not, influenced by an election event.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Notes:
      https://osf.io/24rzd
    • Publication Date:
      2023
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1371380