Conspiracy Accounts as Intergroup Theories: Challenging Dominant Understandings of Social Power and Political Legitimacy

Sapountzis, Antonis; Condor, Susan

doi:10.1111/pops.12015

Cited by 126Misinformation and Its ImpactsSocial and Intergroup PsychologyPopulism, Right-Wing Movements

Conspiracy Accounts as Intergroup Theories: Challenging Dominant Understandings of Social Power and Political Legitimacy

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Sapountzis, Antonis, Condor, Susan·2013·Political Psychology

DOI 10.1111/pops.12015

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Abstract

Conspiracy accounting is often regarded as an atypical, pathological form of political reasoning, and little research has considered how ordinary social actors may refer to political conspiracies in the course of argument. In this article, we consider the spontaneous use of conspiracy narratives by politically engaged G reek citizens in interview discussions of the Macedonian crisis. Analysis revealed that conspiracy narratives were typically used to challenge dominant representations that attributed the Macedonian crisis to G reek xenophobic nationalism. Specifically, conspiracy accounts were used to dispute assumptions concerning G reece's majority status by representing the political opposition as a consortium rather than a single out‐group, by recasting the threat posed to G reece as a matter of realistic rather than symbolic competition, and by extending the historical frame of reference to encompass past and prospective future threats to the G reek people and the G reek state. In conclusion, we note how the use of conspiratorial reasoning may be used to construct complex causal arguments concerning intergroup relations and to challenge dominant ideological assumptions about social hierarchy and political legitimacy. In this respect, conspiratorial reasoning might be regarded as a prototypical form of intergroup representation.

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Disempowered groups may use conspiracy theories to subvert dominance hierarchies by formulating their own understanding of realities.
“These include disempowered groups who may use conspiracy theories to subvert dominance hierarchies by formulating their own understanding of realities (Sapountzis & Condor, 2013)”
From The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories (2017) · cites this paper as Sapountzis & Condor, 2013

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The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
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“These include disempowered groups who may use conspiracy theories to subvert dominance hierarchies by formulating their own understanding of realities (Sapountzis & Condor, 2013) and by fostering solidarity and collective action (Adams, O’Brien, & Nelson, 2006).”
Background
Analytic thinking reduces belief in conspiracy theories
Swami, V., Voracek, M., Stieger, S., Tran, U. S., & Furnham, A. (2014) · Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2014.08.006 · Cited by 726 · see citing works
What Are Conspiracy Theories? A Definitional Approach to Their Correlates, Consequences, and Communication
Douglas, K. M., & Sutton, R. M. (2022) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031329 · Cited by 317 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them
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Populist knowledge: ‘Post-truth’ repertoires of contesting epistemic authorities
Ylä-Anttila, T. (2018) · European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology · doi:10.1080/23254823.2017.1414620 · Cited by 267 · see citing works
Conspiracy theories as quasi-religious mentality: an integrated account from cognitive science, social representations theory, and frame theory
Franks, B., Bangerter, A., & Bauer, M. W. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00424 · Cited by 223 · see citing works
Measuring Belief in Conspiracy Theories: Validation of a French and English Single-Item Scale
Lantian, A., Muller, D., Nurra, C., & Douglas, K. M. (2016) · International Review of Social Psychology · doi:10.5334/irsp.8 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
Mistrust and misinformation: A two-component, socio-epistemic model of belief in conspiracy theories
Pierre, J. M. (2020) · Journal of Social and Political Psychology · doi:10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1362 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
“I Know Things They Don’t Know!”: The Role of Need for Uniqueness in Belief in Conspiracy Theories
Lantian, A., Muller, D., Nurra, C., & Douglas, K. M. (2017) · Social Psychology · doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000306 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Blaming a few bad apples to save a threatened barrel: the system-justifying function of conspiracy theories
Jolley, D., Douglas, K. M., & Sutton, R. M. (2018) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12404 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Why conspiracy theories matter: A social psychological analysis
Douglas, K. M., & Sutton, R. M. (2018) · European Review of Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/10463283.2018.1537428 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories and Institutional Trust: Examining the Role of Uncertainty Avoidance and Active Social Media Use
Mari, S., de Zúñiga, H. G., Suerdem, A. K., Hanke, K., Brown, G. P., Vilar, R., Boer, D., & Bilewicz, M. (2021) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12754 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Examining the monological nature of conspiracy theories
Sutton, R. M., & Douglas, K. M. (2014) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139565417.018 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Searching for General Model of Conspiracy Theories and Its Implication for Public Health Policy: Analysis of the Impacts of Political, Psychological, Structural Factors on Conspiracy Beliefs about the COVID-19 Pandemic
Kim, S., & Kim, S. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18010266 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Investigating the Links Between Cultural Values and Belief in Conspiracy Theories: The Key Roles of Collectivism and Masculinity
Adam‐Troian, J., Wagner‐Egger, P., Motyl, M. S., Arciszewski, T., Imhoff, R., Zimmer, F., Klein, O., Babińska, M., Bangerter, A., Bilewicz, M., et al. (2020) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12716 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Stigmatized beliefs: Conspiracy theories, anticipated negative evaluation of the self, and fear of social exclusion
Lantian, A., Müller, D., Nurra, C., Klein, O., Berjot, S., & Pantazi, M. (2018) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2498 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
The effect of intergroup threat and social identity salience on the belief in conspiracy theories over terrorism in indonesia: collective angst as a mediator
Mashuri, A., & Zaduqisti, E. (2015) · International journal of psychological research · doi:10.21500/20112084.642 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Online communication as a window to conspiracist worldviews
Wood, M. J., & Douglas, K. M. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00836 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
A systematic review of narrative interventions: Lessons for countering anti-vaccination conspiracy theories and misinformation
Lazić, A., & Žeželj, I. L. (2021) · Public Understanding of Science · doi:10.1177/09636625211011881 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Girl in the cellar: a repeated cross-sectional investigation of belief in conspiracy theories about the kidnapping of Natascha Kampusch
Stieger, S., Gumhalter, N., Tran, U. S., Voracek, M., & Swami, V. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00297 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion
Wood, M. J., & Douglas, K. (2018) · BRILL eBooks · doi:10.1163/9789004382022 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Belief in conspiracy theories and attitudes toward political violence
Vegetti, F., & Littvay, L. (2021) · Italian Political Science Review/Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica · doi:10.1017/ipo.2021.17 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
The influence of conspiracy beliefs on conventional and unconventional forms of political participation: The mediating role of political efficacy
Ardèvol‐Abreu, A., de Zúñiga, H. G., & Gámez, E. (2020) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjso.12366 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Thirty shades of truth: conspiracy theories as stories of individuation, not of pathological delusion
Raab, M. H., Ortlieb, S. A., Auer, N., Guthmann, K., & Carbon, C. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00406 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorisation Theory
Sindic, D., & Condor, S. (2014) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-137-29118-9_3 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Self-citation
Of precarity and conspiracy: Introducing a socio‐functional model of conspiracy beliefs
Adam‐Troian, J., Chayinska, M., Paladino, M. P., Uluğ, Ö. M., Vaes, J., & Wagner‐Egger, P. (2022) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjso.12597 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
The Sarrazin effect: the presence of absurd statements in conspiracy theories makes canonical information less plausible
Raab, M. H., Auer, N., Ortlieb, S. A., & Carbon, C. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00453 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories in Great Britain and Europe?
Drochon, H. H. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0022 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Conspiracy theories and social movements studies: A research agenda
Bertuzzi, N. (2021) · Sociology Compass · doi:10.1111/soc4.12945 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Investigating the identification-prejudice link through the lens of national narcissism: The role of defensive group beliefs
Bertin, P., Marinthe, G., Biddlestone, M., & Delouvée, S. (2021) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104252 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Stigmatized Beliefs: Conspiracy Theories, Anticipated Negative Evaluation of the Self, and Fear of Social ExclusionPreprint
Lantian, A., Müller, D., Nurra, C., Klein, O., Berjot, S., & Pantazi, M. (2018) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/bgzt4 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Rationale of conspiracy theorizing: Who shot the President Chen Shui-bian?
Nefes, T. S. (2014) · Rationality and Society · doi:10.1177/1043463113519069 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
The influence of COVID-induced job search anxiety and conspiracy beliefs on job search effort: A within-person investigation.
Gabriel, A. S., MacGowan, R. L., Ganster, M. L., & Slaughter, J. E. (2021) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/apl0000926 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
The History of Conspiracy Theory Research
Bütter, M., & Knight, P. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0002 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
The generic conspiracist beliefs scale – 5: A short-form measure of conspiracist ideation
Kay, C. S., & Slovic, P. (2022) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2022.104315 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Stolen elections: How conspiracy beliefs during the 2020 American presidential elections changed over time
Wang, H., & van Prooijen, J. (2022) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.3996 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Empowerment as a Tool to Reduce Belief in Conspiracy Theories
van Prooijen, J. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0030 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Placing Conspiratorial Motives in Context: The Role of Predispositions and Threat, a Comment on Bost and Prunier (2013)
Uscinski, J. E. (2014) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.2466/17.04.pr0.115c19z2 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories and Philosophy
Dentith, M. R. X. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0006 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Making an impression: The effects of sharing conspiracy theories
Green, R., Toribio-Flórez, D., Douglas, K. M., Brunkow, J. W., & Sutton, R. M. (2023) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104398 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Conspiracy Rumor Psychology
DiFonzo, N. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0017 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Inoculating Against Anti-Vaccination Conspiracies
Banas, J. A., Bessarabova, E., Penkauskas, M. C., & Talbert, N. (2023) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2023.2235733 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Conspiratorial Thinking and Dueling Fact Perceptions
Marietta, M., & Barker, D. C. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0014 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theory Phobia
Räikkä, J., & Basham, L. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0011 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories in Post-Soviet Russia
Yablokov, I. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0024 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Polls, Plots, and Party Politics
Enders, A. M., & Smallpage, S. M. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0020 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Down the Rabbit Hole We Go!
(2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0001 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
The Collective Conspiracy Mentality in Poland
Soral, W., Cichocka, A. K., Bilewicz, M., & Marchlewska, M. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0025 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Conspiracy Mentality in Post-Conflict Societies: Relations With the Ethos of Conflict and Readiness for Reconciliation
Petrović, B., Međedović, J., Radović, O. B., & Lovrić, S. R. (2019) · Europe's Journal of Psychology · doi:10.5964/ejop.v15i1.1695 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
So What if They’re Lying to Us? Comparing Rhetorical Strategies for Discrediting Sources of Disinformation and Misinformation Using an Affect-Based Credibility Rating
Campos‐Castillo, C., & Shuster, S. M. (2021) · American Behavioral Scientist · doi:10.1177/00027642211066058 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories are Not Beliefs
Duetz, J. C. M. (2022) · Erkenntnis · doi:10.1007/s10670-022-00620-z · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Identifying important individual‐ and country‐level predictors of conspiracy theorizing: A machine learning analysis
Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., van Lissa, C. V., Stroebe, W., Kreienkamp, J., Agostini, M., Bélanger, J., Gützkow, B., Abakoumkin, G., Khaiyom, J. H. A., et al. (2023) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2968 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
How Conspiracy Theories Spread
DeWitt, D., Atkinson, M., & Wegner, D. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0021 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
We believe in your conspiracy if we distrust you: the role of intergroup distrust in structuring the effect of Islamic identification, competitive victimhood, and group incompatibility on belief in a conspiracy theory
Mashuri, A., & Esti Zaduqisti, C. (2014) · Journal of Tropical Psychology · doi:10.1017/jtp.2014.11 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
What We Mean When We Say “Conspiracy Theory”
Walker, J. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0003 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
A nation under attack: perceptions of enmity and victimhood in the context of the Greek crisis
Lialiouti, Z., & Bithymitris, G. (2016) · National Identities · doi:10.1080/14608944.2015.1113240 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories and Religion
Robertson, D. G. C., & Dyrendal, A. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0028 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
The sociodemographic correlates of conspiracism
Enders, A. M., Klofstad, C., Diekman, A. B., Drochon, H. H., de Waal, J. R., Littrell, S., Premaratne, K., Verdear, D., Wuchty, S., & Uscinski, J. E. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-64098-1 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theory Psychology
Wood, M. J., & Douglas, K. M. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0016 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories and the Study of Alternative and Emergent Religions
Robertson, D. G. C. (2015) · Nova Religio The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions · doi:10.1525/nr.2015.19.2.5 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
The Politics of Disruption
Atkinson, M., & DeWitt, D. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0008 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Metalinguistic tactics in the Hong Kong protest movement
Jones, R. H., & Chau, D. (2021) · Journal of Language and Politics · doi:10.1075/jlp.21017.jon · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theory
McKenzie-McHarg, A. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0004 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Media Marginalization of Racial Minorities
Orr, M., & Husting, G. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0005 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
On the Democratic Problem of Conspiracy Politics
Moore, A. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0007 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Pathways to conspiracy: the social and linguistic precursors of involvement in Reddit's conspiracy theory forumPreprint
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“I Know Things They Don’t Know!” The Role of Need for Uniqueness in Belief in Conspiracy TheoriesPreprint
Lantian, A., Dominique Muller, B., Nurra, C., & Douglas, K. M. (2017) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/zm9a6 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Sociotechnical governance of misinformation: An Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST) paper
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Conspiracy Theories in U.S. History
Olmstead, K. S. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0019 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Alternative beliefs in psychedelic drug users
Lebedev, A. V., Acar, K., Horntvedt, O., Cabrera, A., Simonsson, O., Osika, W., Ingvar, M., & Petrovic, P. (2023) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-42444-z · Cited by 10 · see citing works
In Whose Hands the Future?
Lewandowsky, S. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0010 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
The Conspiratorial Style in Turkish Politics
Nefes, T. S. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0026 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Teorias da conspiração: significados em contexto brasileiro
Rezende, A. T., da Silva, F. M. D. S. M., Ribeiro, M. G. C., Loureto, G. D. L., Neta, O. F. D. S., & Gouveia, V. V. (2019) · Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas) · doi:10.1590/1982-0275201936e180010 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Conspiracy Thinking, Tolerance, and Democracy
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Assessing Conspiracist Ideation Reliably, Validly, and Efficiently: A Psychometric Comparison of Five Short-Form Measures
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The Truth Is Around Here Somewhere
Bost, P. R. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0018 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Why the Powerful (in Weak States) Prefer Conspiracy Theories
Radnitz, S. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0023 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Investigating the Links Between Cultural Values and Belief in Conspiracy Theories: The Key Roles of Collectivism and MasculinityPreprint
Adam-Troian, J., Wagner-Egger, P., Motyl, M., Arciszewski, T., Imhoff, R., Zimmer, F., Klein, O., Babińska, M., Bangerter, A., Bilewicz, M., et al. (2020) · Political Psychology · doi:10.31234/osf.io/nzg7x · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theory Belief: A Sane Response to an Insane World?
Pierre, J. M. (2023) · Review of Philosophy and Psychology · doi:10.1007/s13164-023-00716-7 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
On Different Operationalizations and Conceptualizations of the Tendency to Believe in Conspiracy Theories
Pummerer, L. (2024) · Zeitschrift für Psychologie · doi:10.1027/2151-2604/a000547 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Adjusting to the canon
Vincze, O., Jenei, D., Pólya, T., & Erát, D. (2021) · Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology · doi:10.1177/1834490921993952 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Conspiracy theories in online deliberation on gender identity legislation: Dilemmas of prejudice and political partisanship and implications for LGBTQI+ claims
Sapountzis, A., Figgou, L., & Michos, I. (2022) · Feminism & Psychology · doi:10.1177/09593535221113648 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citation
The Credulity of Conspiracy Theorists
Keeley, B. L. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0029 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Conspiracy Theories and Human Trafficking: Coercive Power, Normative Ambiguity and Epistemic Uncertainty
Watson, S. D. (2023) · Journal of Human Trafficking · doi:10.1080/23322705.2023.2193926 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Debating the legal recognition of gender identity in parliamentary discourse: Human rights and queer politics
Michos, I., Figgou, L., & Baka, A. (2022) · Discourse & Society · doi:10.1177/09579265221088129 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
The Conspiracy Theory Pyramid Scheme
Goertzel, T. G. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0015 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Don’t Trust the Scientists! Rejecting the Scientific Consensus “Conspiracy”
Josh Pasek, B. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0013 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Leadership, mobilization of risky behaviours and accountability: The Church of Greece leaders' public talk during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Ntontis, E., Bozatzis, N., & Kokkini, V. (2023) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjso.12658 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
The social psychology of conspiracy theories: Key insights and future challenges
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The Appraisal Model of Conspiracy Theories (AMCT): Applying Appraisal Theories to Understand Emotional and Behavioral Reactions to Conspiracy Theories
Pummerer, L., Gkinopoulos, T., Douglas, K. M., Jolley, D., & Sassenberg, K. (2024) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1080/1047840x.2024.2442906 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Obedient Authoritarians or Lay Darwinists?
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An Examination of the Structure and Common Correlates of Three Domains of Contaminated Mindware in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Rizeq, J. (2020) · YorkSpace (York University) · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Belief in conspiracy theories, aggression, and attitudes towards political violencePreprint
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Correlatos valorativos de crenças em teorias da conspiração
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Learning about Conspiracy Theories
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Conspiracy Theory Belief and Conspiratorial Thinking
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Marburg Virus Outbreak and a New Conspiracy Theory: Findings from a Comprehensive Analysis and Forecasting of Web Behavior
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The Hidden and the Revealed
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Domains of baseless belief and the characteristics of believers
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Conspiracy theories before and after the Greek crisis: Discursive patterns and political use of the “enemy” theme
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A qualitative social representations study of conspiracy theories in Greece
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Political thinking and rhetoric in conspiracy theories: Narratives of power, identity, and vengeance
Koper, A. J. (2023) · White Rose eTheses Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York)
“They've conspired against us”: Understanding the role of social identification and conspiracy beliefs in justification of ingroup collective behavior
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The partisan contours of conspiracy theory beliefs
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Authors: Sapountzis, A., & Condor, S.
Affiliations: Democritus University of Thrace (GR)
Loughborough University (GB)
ORCID: Sapountzis, Antonis
Venue: Political Psychology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2013-02-15
Volume: 34
Issue: 5
Pages: 731-752
ISSN: 0162-895X (ISSN-L)
1467-9221
DOI: 10.1111/pops.12015
OpenAlex: W1586220072
Cited by: 126
References: 120
Citations by year: 2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 4
FWCI: 17.55
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
dspace.lboro.ac.uk
Licence: cc-by-nc-nd
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Political Psychology (publishedVersion)
Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Loughborough University Research Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders: Johns Hopkins University
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Populism, Right-Wing Movements
Keywords: conspiracy narratives, Greek nationalism, xenophobia, political legitimacy, social power, political opposition, intergroup relations, social hierarchy, Greece–North Macedonia relations

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Conspiracy Accounts as Intergroup Theories: Challenging Dominant Understandings of Social Power and Political Legitimacy

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