Are Conspiracy Theories More Likely To Be Believed By Republicans Than By Democrats?

Since the development of Hofstadter’s “paranoid style”, many researchers and journalists have argued that Republicans and conservatives are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories involving Democrats are more popular with Republicans, and vice versa. A new study found that conspiratorial thinking and partisan reasoning inspire beliefs in election-related conspiracy theories. Public opinion polls suggest that American conservatives are prone to political misperceptions, typically claiming belief in more falsehoods than liberals (1–6). Some scholars further argue that this is due to the deep partisan divide, dueling information ecosystems, and divergent responses to conspiracy theories.

A recent Pew Research Center survey found that Americans’ deep partisan divide, dueling information ecosystems, and divergent responses to conspiracy theories contribute to this belief. The Paranoid Style, a 1964 essay by Richard Hofstadter, argues that the political right is more likely to believe conspiracy theories, providing effective signals in partisan conflict.

The latest Economist/YouGov Poll asked Americans their opinions on prominent conspiracy theories relating to vaccine-autism links. Republicans and conservatives are more likely to believe conspiracy theories than Democrats and liberals, but the evidence for this proposition is mixed. Since conspiracy theory beliefs are associated with dangerous orientations and behaviors, one in 10 Republicans believe both that rampant fraud occurred in 2020 and in an array of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus.