Spite and Science‐Denial: Exploring the Role of Spitefulness in Conspiracy Ideation and COVID‐19 Conspiracy Beliefs

Abstract

Science denialism is at the heart of many conspiracy theory beliefs. We propose that such beliefs are manifestations of a distal social process: spite. In three pre‐registered studies, we test the hypothesis that established predictors of these beliefs (epistemic, existential, and social motives) are specific cues of competitive disadvantage that provoke a common facultative “spiteful” psychological response, making a person more open to believing in conspiracy theories. Study 1 ( N = 301; UK representative Prolific sample), found that spite mediated the relationship between realistic threat and in‐group narcissism (social motives), political powerlessness (existential motive), and intolerance for uncertainty (epistemic motive), and conspiracy theory belief and COVID‐19 conspiracies. This pattern was replicated in Study 2 ( N = 405; UK representative Prolific sample). In Study 3 ( N = 405; UK representative Prolific sample), we found that those who engaged in a spite‐inducing task reported higher levels of spite which indirectly resulted in stronger beliefs in conspiracy theories. The overall pattern of results provides initial evidence that spite may play a role in why people engage with false information. Research and policy implications of these findings are discussed.