The science of conspiracies

BètaBreak edition December 2020

In times of COVID-19, trust in science has become crucial for the world’s well-being. In the day and age of the internet however, we are often exposed to the opinions of those who reject scientific findings. In this BètaBreak edition we examine how conspiracy theories evolve and analyse the concerns they invoke from a scientific perspective.

Conspiracy theories are of all times, but the COVID-19 pandemic offers an interesting framework to explore the mechanisms behind them. How do conspiracy theories evolve, and how grounded are the concerns from a scientific perspective? And if we go beyond those questions, how do we as scientists contribute to the proliferation of these theories, and how can we improve?

Science communication is the bridge between science and the larger public, and as a science on its own, it is currently being tested. The stakes are high and the scale on which communication takes place is enormous. A complicated interaction between scientists, science communicators, governments and citizens arises – and somewhere in this mix, conspiracy theories develop. In times of a global pandemic, conspiracy theories have the potential to harm global health, and it is essential to evaluate our role as scientists and science communicators in the development thereof.

Speakers

Prof. Daniëlle Timmermans (Amsterdam Public Health research institute, VU University Medical Center & National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)

Dr. Bastiaan Rutjens (Assistant professor at the psychology department of the University of Amsterdam, where he runs the PsySci lab. His main research interest is the psychology of science)