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Conspiracy theories as a natural part of pandemics

Czech version

Authors: Vojtěch Pišl 1;  Jan Vevera- 1 3
Authors‘ workplace: Psychiatrická klinika LF UK a FN Plzeň 1;  Katedra psychiatrie IPVZ, Praha 2;  Psychiatrická klinika 1. LF UK a VFN v Praze 3
Published in: Čas. Lék. čes. 2021; 160: 37-39
Category: News

Overview

Effectiveness of the policy measures against the COVID-19 pandemic is reduced by spread of conspiracy theories. Moreover, conspiracy theories induce opposition to vaccines. The text shows that increased occurrence of conspiracy theories is a typical public reaction to a disaster and describes some of the mechanisms contributing to susceptibility to conspiracy explanations on the individual as well as societal level.

Keywords:

catastrophe – conspiracy theories – coronavirus – medical psychology – pandemics

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