The DOI matches its Crossref record, with a small difference in title or year; 56 of the 57 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
NASA Faked the Moon Landing—Therefore, (Climate) Science Is a Hoax: An Anatomy of the Motivated Rejection of Science
Abstract
Although nearly all domain experts agree that carbon dioxide emissions are altering the world’s climate, segments of the public remain unconvinced by the scientific evidence. Internet blogs have become a platform for denial of climate change, and bloggers have taken a prominent role in questioning climate science. We report a survey of climate-blog visitors to identify the variables underlying acceptance and rejection of climate science. Our findings parallel those of previous work and show that endorsement of free-market economics predicted rejection of climate science. Endorsement of free markets also predicted the rejection of other established scientific findings, such as the facts that HIV causes AIDS and that smoking causes lung cancer. We additionally show that, above and beyond endorsement of free markets, endorsement of a cluster of conspiracy theories (e.g., that the Federal Bureau of Investigation killed Martin Luther King, Jr.) predicted rejection of climate science as well as other scientific findings. Our results provide empirical support for previous suggestions that conspiratorial thinking contributes to the rejection of science. Acceptance of science, by contrast, was strongly associated with the perception of a consensus among scientists.
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In the citing paper
“A related property of conspiracy theories is that they can protect cherished beliefs (e.g., vaccination is harmful; climate change is not a serious concern) by casting overwhelmingly disconfirmatory evidence (e.g., scientific findings) as the product of a conspiracy (Lewandowsky, Oberauer, & Gignac, 2013).”
From The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories (2017) · cites this paper as Lewandowsky, Oberauer, & Gignac, 2013
In the citing paper
“because beliefs in conspiracy theories in general are associated with a mistrust of scientific claims [16]”
From The Effects of Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theories on Vaccination Intentions (2014) · cites this paper as [16]
In the citing paper
“Among visitors to climate blogs, the tendency to endorse conspiracy theories has been shown to be correlated with the rejection of climate science as well as the rejection of other scientific propositions [27].”
From The Role of Conspiracist Ideation and Worldviews in Predicting Rejection of Science (2013) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“the data provide further evidence for the link between the rejection of science and a conspiratorial cognitive style in general”
From The Role of Conspiracist Ideation and Worldviews in Predicting Rejection of Science (2013) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“A further 3 items queried scientific propositions that were also used in previous research [27], [38].”
From The Role of Conspiracist Ideation and Worldviews in Predicting Rejection of Science (2013) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“the present study and related precedents [2]–[7], [18]–[21], [27] have identified worldviews and conspiracist ideation as two vehicles with which such motivated reasoning is exercised.”
From The Role of Conspiracist Ideation and Worldviews in Predicting Rejection of Science (2013) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“The potential predictor constructs were all based on established instruments that have been repeatedly used in previous research”
From The Role of Conspiracist Ideation and Worldviews in Predicting Rejection of Science (2013) · cites this paper as [27]
Citations
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“, or that the Air Force is hiding evidence of extraterrestrial visitors (Goertzel, 1994; Swami, ChamorroPremuzic, & Furnham, 2009).”
BackgroundConspiracy theories: Causes and cures
Sunstein, C. R., & Vermeule, A. (2009) · Journal of Political Philosophy · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00325.x · Cited by 1,050 · cited 4×
“Conspiracist ideation is, by definition, difficult to correct because any evidence contrary to the conspiracy is itself considered evidence of its existence (Bale, 2007; Sunstein & Vermeule, 2009).”
BackgroundInfluentialDefeating Kyoto: The Conservative Movement's Impact on U.S. Climate Change Policy
McCright, A. M., & Dunlap, R. E. (2003) · Social Problems · doi:10.1525/sp.2003.50.3.348 · Cited by 904
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- Inhofe J., 2012, The greatest hoax: How the global warming conspiracy threatens your future
- Oreskes N., 2010, Merchants of doubt
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 601–639 of 639
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.002.0001
Online Conspiracy Theorizing as Conversational Coordination
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.003.0008
Fake News, Rumors, Folk Theories
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.003.0003
Online Conspiracy Rabbit Hole as a Semantic Cascade
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.003.0006
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.002.0006
How We Studied Conspiracy Theories
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.005.0002
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.002.0007
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.001.0001
Karlsson, P., Josefsson, T., Svensson, S., & Andersson, L. (2026) · Scandinavian Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/sjop.70120
Linguistic Signature of Superspreaders
Rao, H., & Greve, H. R. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197772324.003.0007
Arena, C. C., & Opgenhaffen, M. (2026) · Ethnic and Racial Studies · doi:10.1080/01419870.2026.2681773
Collectivizing Public Scientific Testimony
Dellsén, F. (2026) · Episteme · doi:10.1017/epi.2026.10124
D'Errico, M., & Yasseri, T. (2026) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-026-09660-y
Evaluation of the links between smoking and conspiracy mentality.
Smitz, A.-S., Jamart, J., Smitz, M., & Galanti, L. (2026) · L'Encephale · doi:10.1016/j.encep.2026.03.019
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0001
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0011
The Puzzle of Popular Delusions
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0004
The Social Roots of Popular Delusions
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0005
Williams, D., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.001.0001
The Social Insensitivity of Clinical Delusions
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0010
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0002
Existing Social Accounts of Clinical Delusions
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0008
The Social Scaffolding of Popular Delusions
Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.003.0006
Individualistic Accounts of Clinical Delusions
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Williams, D. R., Wilkinson, S., & Miyazono, K. (2026) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780191976360.002.0005
Why Do We Call People Delusional?
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The Social Determinants and Focus of Clinical Delusions
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Mendy, L., & Lindvall, D. (2026) · Environmental Sociology · doi:10.1080/23251042.2026.2697748
Climate change skepticism and farmers' responses to CO2e taxation
Zemo, K. H., & Termansen, M. (2026) · Ecological Economics · doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2026.109167
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Cerri, L. F. (2026) · Revista Brasileira de Ensino de História · doi:10.67660/wvjwc302
Kabir, K. H., & Chowdhury, A. H. (2026) · Climate Policy · doi:10.1080/14693062.2026.2713878
Tamang, T. (2026) · Public Understanding of Science · doi:10.1177/09636625261475515
Suerdem, A. K., Zdravkov, S., & Ivanov, M. J. (2026) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0341946
The moral economy of science: how perceived beneficiaries shape public trust in scientists
Tamang, T. (2026) · International Journal of Public Opinion Research · doi:10.1093/ijpor/edag025
Hekmati, A., Stanc, L. L., Salvia, É., Borst, G., & Cassotti, M. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-11124803/v1
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Metadata
- Authors
- Lewandowsky, S., Oberauer, K., & Gignac, G. E.
- Affiliations
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-03-26
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 622-633
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2148186201
- Semantic Scholar
- 3f3ad951efb5618f5b793f160714014645166e35
- Cited by
- 638
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 60 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 72 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 68 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 45 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 12
- FWCI
- 118.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Science and Science Education
- Keywords
- climate change denial, conspiracy theories, conspiracy beliefs, free market ideology, public acceptance of science, HIV/AIDS, smoking and lung cancer
- MeSH terms
- Denial, Psychological, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Fraud, Humans, Motivation, Surveys and Questionnaires, Science, Space Flight, United States, Moon, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Climatic Processes, Blogging, Climate Change
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