National Narcissism predicts the Belief in and the Dissemination of Conspiracy Theories During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From 56 Countries

Abstract

Conspiracy theories related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have propagated around the globe, leading the World Health Organization to declare the spread of misinformation an “Infodemic.” We tested the hypothesis that national narcissism—a belief in the greatness of one’s nation that requires external recognition—is associated with the spread of conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 pandemic. In two large-scale national surveys ( NTotal = 950) conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom, and secondary analysis of data from 56 countries ( N = 50,757), we found a robust, positive relationship between national narcissism and proneness to believe and disseminate conspiracy theories related to COVID-19. Furthermore, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories was related to less engagement in health behaviors and less support for public-health policies to combat COVID-19. Our findings illustrate the importance of social identity factors in the spread of conspiracy theories and provide insights into the psychological processes underlying the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs: A systematic review

“…This may also mean the creation of ‘outgroups’ however (a group with which one does not identify), allowing conspiracy beliefs to be used to justify and defend the socio-political status of one's ingroup ( Imhoff and Bruder, 2014 ), buffering any criticism in the process. This may explain why higher levels of collective narcissism are associated with belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories ( Hughes and Machan, 2021 ; Sternisko et al, 2021 ), as the latter may be a way to protect grandiose national identities that are threatened by the pandemic. National identities in turn are superordinate levels of identity which provide support and guidance during a time of uncertainty and threat ( Abrams et al, 2021 ; Oleksy et al, 2021 ).…”

Impact of COVID-19 First Wave on Psychological and Psychosocial Dimensions: A Systematic Review

“…Moreover, it was seen that these subjects engaged more in self-centred behaviour aimed at personal benefit during the crisis (e.g., hoarding everyday goods, relying on "alternative" sources of information) than in reducing the infection rate (e.g., increased hygiene behavior, keeping physical distance to others) [18]. It has been seen that a high level of collective narcissism (inflated belief in the greatness of one's ingroup) is related to a greater agreement with conspiracy theories [50]. In addition, those who support conspiracy theories may be less likely to get vaccinated if this will be available [51,52].…”

Don't believe it! A global perspective on cognitive reflection and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 pandemic

“…Given the literature on other relevant features for belief in conspiracy theory, we also controlled for the level of collective narcissism ( Sternisko et al, 2021 ), and political ideology ( Pennycook et al, 2020 ; Van Prooijen et al, 2015 ). Collective narcissism was assessed by means of three questions (e.g., “My national group deserves special treatment”).…”