Factors associated with the belief in COVID-19 related conspiracy theories in Pakistan

This article describes patterns of compliance with social distancing measures among the Spanish population during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It identifies several factors associated with higher or lower compliance with recommended measures of social distancing. This research is part of a 67-country study, titled the International COVID-19 study on Social & Moral Psychology, in which we use a Spanish dataset. Participants were residents in Spain aged 18 or above. The sample comprises 1,090 respondents, weighted to be representative of the Spanish population. Frequencies, correlations, bivariate analysis, and six models based on hierarchical multiple regressions were applied. The main finding is that most Spaniards are compliant with established guidelines of social distance during the pandemic (State of Alarm, before May 2020). Variables associated more with lower levels of compliance with these standards were explored. Six hierarchical multiple regression models found that compliance with social distance measures has a multifactorial explanation (R2 between 20.4 and 49.1%). Sociodemographic factors, personal hygiene patterns, and the interaction between personal hygiene patterns and the support for political measures related to the coronavirus brought significant effects on the regression models. Less compliance was also associated with beliefs in some specific conspiracy theories with regard to COVID-19 or general conspiracy mentality (Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire, CMQ), consumption patterns of traditional mass media (television, paper newspapers, magazines, and radio) and modern means to get informed (online digital newspapers, blogs, and social networks), political ideology, vote, trust in institutions, and political identification. Among the future lines of action in preventing the possible outbreak of the virus, we suggest measures to reinforce trust in official information, mainly linked to reducing the influence of disinformation and conspiracy theories parallel to the pandemic.

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Of Power and Peril

Revealing Schemes ◽

10.1093/oso/9780197573532.003.0002 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 12-27

Author(s):

Scott Radnitz

Keyword(s):

Political Competition ◽

Conspiracy Theories ◽

Explanatory Framework ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Cross Border ◽

The World ◽

Conspiracy Narratives ◽

Over Time

This chapter provides an explanatory framework for why regimes promote conspiracy claims, based on the insight that because conspiracy theories are theories about power, it makes sense to foreground politics—the opportunities and constraints facing politicians as they consider what stories to tell about the world. It conceptualizes conspiracy theories as a form of propaganda and summarizes theories about conspiracism in politics. The author argues that claiming conspiracy can signal knowledge and prescience, and details three factors associated with the production and circulation of conspiracy claims: destabilizing events, political competition, and cross-border connections and alignments. Regimes may use conspiracy claims intermittently or may construct broad conspiracy narratives and strategically disseminate them over time, but there are potential hazards for regimes that rely excessively on conspiracism. Finally, the chapter outlines the features of three conspiratorial modes: sporadic official conspiracism, competitive conspiracism, and sustained official conspiracism.

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Digital contact-tracing in France: uptake by COVID-19 risk factor and by exposure risk

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/pubmed/fdab349 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

M Guillon

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Exposure Risk ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Conspiracy Theories ◽

Full Sample ◽

Factors Associated ◽

The Government ◽

Governmental Communication

Abstract Background Few studies have investigated the influence of COVID-19 conspiracy theories on digital contact-tracing adoption and the differentiated uptake of digital contact-tracing by COVID-19 risk factor and by exposure risk. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey conducted in France in November 2020 (N = 1042), we investigate the factors associated with the use of the French ‘TousAntiCovid’ contact-tracing application. Our independent variables of interest include COVID-19 and ‘TousAntiCovid’ perceptions, trust in the government, time and risk preferences and the level of adherence to COVID-19 conspiracy theories. We conduct regression analyses by COVID-19 risk factor and exposure groups. Results Among the full sample, a negative association is found between the propensity to believe in COVID-19 conspiracy theories and the use of ‘TousAntiCovid’. French respondents at risk of severe COVID-19 form are more likely to use ‘TousAntiCovid’. No difference in uptake is found by exposure group. Group analyses indicate that the factors associated with the uptake of digital contact-tracing differ by COVID-19 risk factor and exposure risk. Conclusion Governmental communication to fight COVID-19 misinformation and to stress out the utility and data safety of ‘TousAntiCovid’ should be reinforced. Targeted communication campaigns should be conducted among low adoption groups and key groups in COVID-19 transmission.

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The COVID States Project #14: Misinformation and vaccine acceptance

10.31219/osf.io/w974j ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Baum ◽

Katherine Ognyanova ◽

Hanyu Chwe ◽

Alexi Quintana ◽

Roy H. Perlis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Public Life ◽

False Information ◽

Vaccine Acceptance ◽

Conspiracy Theories ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Lower Likelihood ◽

Public Health Officials ◽

Scientific Facts

Scholars and public health officials have expressed growing alarm over what some have termed a “misinfodemic” − a parallel epidemic of misinformation − around COVID-19. Indeed, conspiracy theories, from the Plandemic pseudo-documentary to QAnon, fuel rising skepticism about scientific facts across many areas of public life, and in recent months especially with respect to COVID-19. Misperceptions, which can rapidly spread from obscurity to mass exposure via social media, may have the capacity to hinder the efficacy of public health efforts aimed at slowing the spread of the pandemic. Especially concerning, encountering false claims online may ultimately reduce the willingness of some Americans to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.In this report, we assess respondents’ acceptance of 11 false claims that have circulated online since the beginning of the pandemic. The statements we use include six false claims about conspiracies or risk factors and five false purported preventive treatments for COVID-19. For the conspiracies/risk factors, we asked respondents whether or not they thought each claim was accurate, or whether they were unsure about its accuracy. For the false preventive treatments, we asked participants whether or not they believed the purported treatment was effective, or whether they were unsure about its efficacy.Here, we explore some of the factors associated with higher or lower likelihood of believing false claims. We then consider the association between believing false information about COVID-19 and vaccine acceptance.

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Stain contamination and embedding in electron microscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100141986 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 50-53

Author(s):

Hilton H. Mollenhauer

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Information Retrieval ◽

Epoxy Resins ◽

Image Contrast ◽

Sample Preservation ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Amount Of Information ◽

Electron Microscopical ◽

Contrast Information

Many factors (e.g., resolution of microscope, type of tissue, and preparation of sample) affect electron microscopical images and alter the amount of information that can be retrieved from a specimen. Of interest in this report are those factors associated with the evaluation of epoxy embedded tissues. In this context, informational retrieval is dependant, in part, on the ability to “see” sample detail (e.g., contrast) and, in part, on tue quality of sample preservation. Two aspects of this problem will be discussed: 1) epoxy resins and their effect on image contrast, information retrieval, and sample preservation; and 2) the interaction between some stains commonly used for enhancing contrast and information retrieval.

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