Story perspectives

Study Links Election Conspiracies to Justified Violence Risk

3/5/2026

Summary

Story summary

A study in Social Psychological and Personality Science finds active conspiracy believers more likely to justify violence.
Led by Jesse Koster of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the study shows conspiracy beliefs alone do not predict violence.
The study focused on voters supporting U.S. President Donald Trump and found election-fraud conspiracies primed violence.
The findings warn that spreading conspiracy theories among mobilized groups poses risks, with cross-cultural contexts to be explored.

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Story summary

A study in Social Psychological and Personality Science finds active conspiracy believers more likely to justify violence.
Led by Jesse Koster of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the study shows conspiracy beliefs alone do not predict violence.
The study focused on voters supporting U.S. President Donald Trump and found election-fraud conspiracies primed violence.
The findings warn that spreading conspiracy theories among mobilized groups poses risks, with cross-cultural contexts to be explored.