Conspiracy beliefs (CBs) can have substantial consequences on health behaviours by influencing both conventional and non-conventional medicine uptake. They can target powerful groups (i.e. upward CBs) or powerless groups (i.e. downward CBs). Considering their repercussions in oncology, it appears useful to understand how CBs are related to the intentions to use conventional and so-called alternative medicines (SCAM), defined as “medical products and practices that are not part of standard medical care” including practices
such as mind–body therapies, botanicals, energy healing or naturopathic medicine.
This paper includes two pre-registered online correlational studies on a general French population (Study 1 N = 248, recruited on social media Mage = 40.07, SDage = 14.78; 205 women, 41 men and 2 non-binaries; Study 2 N = 313, recruited on social media and Prolific, Mage = 28.91, SDage = 9.60; 154 women, 149 men and 10 non-binaries). the researchers investigated the links between generic and chemotherapy-related CBs and intentions to use conventional or SCAMs. Study 2 consisted of a conceptual replication of Study 1, considering the orientation of CBs.
Generic CBs and chemotherapy-related CBs appear strongly and positively correlated, negatively correlated with intentions to take conventional medicine and positively with intentions to take SCAM. The link between generic CBs and medication intention is fully mediated by chemotherapy-related CBs. When distinguished, upward CBs are a stronger predictor of chemotherapy-related CBs than downward CBs.
The authors concluded that the findings suggest that intentions to use medicine are strongly associated with CBs. This has several important implications for further research and practice, notably on the presence and effects of CBs on medication behaviours in cancer patients.
Sadly, the influence of CBs is not confined to the field of oncology but applies across all diseases and conditions. We have seen and discussed these issues in several previous posts, e.g.:
- Conspiracy Beliefs Predict Health Behavior and Well-being during the Pandemic
- Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs, mistrust, and compliance with government guidelines
- Mistrust + Misinformation —> CONSPIRACY THEORY
- Conspiracy theories and dangerous recommendations via YouTube videos
- Conspiracy theories, assumptions, opinions, evidence and scientific facts
- A conspiracy theory seems to be driving the popularity of alternative medicine
The most impressive evidence, however, is regularly being provided by some of the people who post comments on this blog. Collectively, this evidence has prompted me to postulate that SCAM itself can be seen as a consiracy theory.
24 Responses to Conspiracy beliefs prompt consumers to use so-called alternative medicine
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Conspiracy-theory good: Blind-following not good.
Conspiracy-theory that UK government is lying:
https://reclaimthenet.org/uk-government-apologizes-after-counter-disinformation-unit-got-caught-lying
How do you tell which is the liar? The one doing the censorship.
“How do you tell which is the liar?”
not so difficult: just do a fact check and have a critical look at your sources.
thanks for confirming the point that I was making.
It is Halloween today.
ZombieBoB: “BRAINS! I need more BRAINS!” 😀
“…the new wonder head-filler!” (Eccles)
Most of the time agree with what you have to say RPGNo1. But in this case you are very wrong my friend. Conspiracy believes are good for your brain. They are an important tool for improving your critical thinking skills and as a result the believer’s brain grows in size. Just look at Old Bob, he has a massive brain that he uses to crunch hundreds of conspiracy theories faster than a super computer can. We see the results of his crazy fast conspiracy theory processing brain everyday. In fact, he doesn’t need more BRAINS! His brain is so overgrown that it is refusing to fit in his head.
Government unit screwed up and has acknowledged it screwed up…Next?
Ok. Then I recommend the following cure for the problem. 😉
🤯😂🤣
Conspiracy theory? Or not? Elon Musk: The Ventilators, Not COVID, Destroyed Lungs:
https://vigilantfox.substack.com/p/elon-musk-the-ventilators-not-covid
I see, Elon is now an intensive care expert – amazing what skills this man has!
Vigilant Foxy totally deserves a rating of 5 tinfoil hats.
Here’s a “conspiracy theory” on conspiracy theories for you:
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0clbp99/the-psychology-behind-conspiracy-theories
That BBC production ends with:
“…with so much uncertainty, it’s no wonder people are donning tinfoil hats.”
That assumes:
1 All people are the same.
2 That uncertainty is bad.
This (1) is anti-human because the beauty of life is in the difference – that is the definition of Life itself otherwise we have inhuman robotics.
This (2) is anti-Life because uncertainty, randomness, entropy, is the driving force of Life. We *enjoy* the terrors and delights of the next event *because* nothing-is-written e.g. who wants to know when they will die? Conversely, you might be certain of that date if your name was on the list of Lavrentiy Beria! Who wants that? Most folks apparently, if you watch the BBC, safe and sound in the bosom of their governments.
Excellent one Old Bob.
I much prefer your word salads over your reposts of loony conspiracy theories.
It’s a shame the covid pandemic seems to have done a number on your brain.
Thank you for opening my eyes. I just realized that the roof over my head, clothes I wear, the food I purchase from a grocery store are all anti-life. Therefore, I am going to follow a hunter-gatherer lifestyle that is full of uncertainty and randomness. I am packing my bags to move to Amazon rain forest. Do you want to come with me OB, since you love uncertainty so very much?
Besides, who cares about those pathetic BBC-watching, certainty-craving sheeple. They can carry on with their boring lives as we fight Jaguars in the bowels of Amazon.
This, just in, speaks for itself.
Rasmussen poll: 24% Say Someone They Know Died From COVID-19 Vaccine:
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/public_surveys/killer_jab_24_say_someone_they_know_died_from_covid_19_vaccine
I invite you to have a look at Orac’s take on a poll like that:
https://www.respectfulinsolence.com/2023/01/25/economist-mark-skidmore-publishes-antivax-propaganda-disguised-as-a-survey/
Old Bob,
Your interpretation of that poll is: the jabby-jab kills people. Except you are not paying attention to the effect it has on the patients. If we subscribe to your reading of the poll, getting jabbed induces some uncertainty in patients’ life, i.e., they are not going to know if/when they are going to die due to the vaccine. That sort of uncertainty is a good thing according to YOU it a driving force of Life:
How would the person enjoy the terrors post vaccination if you advise them to not get jabbed? If we follow your logic, you should be a vaxx-lover not an anti-vaxxer. You contradict yourself faster than the speed of light. Get it together OB.
BTW, have you given any thought to the exciting life you can lead (if you choose) in the Amazon jungle, fighting jaguars? Don’t be a wuss, OB.
@Old Bob
Yup, it shows the stupidity of those who waving these poll results around as if they actually mean anything.
Just by way of illustration, here’s another poll with an, erm, ‘interesting’ outcome:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/do-people-really-think-earth-might-be-flat/
“Just 66 percent of millennials firmly believe that the Earth is round,”
So please repeat after me: “Surveys produce opinions, not facts.”
Life, the universe and everything depend on randomness. Financial security depends on it, there would be no commerce without it. DNA is recombined to ensure it. Our adaptive immune system “adapts” by random recombination. Most of the universe is “dead” but in the small, unfashionable western arm of the galaxy, there is a tiny space where water exists in four states where randomness is maximal and “atoms contemplate atoms”.
To win an argument with a clever person is difficult;
to win an argument with a stupis one is impossible.
Old Bob,
Are you trying to outcompete Deepak Chopra at his own game? Maybe you didn’t comprehend what I wrote earlier, so here is a recap:
1. Old Bob in no uncertain terms mentions that he loves uncertainty and randomness. Yet, he doesn’t lead a hunter-gatherer lifestyle that is full of uncertainty.
2. Old Bob points to a BS poll and draws conclusion that vaccines are killing a certain percentage of vaccinated. Yet he fails to understand that if we apply his logic, vaccines introduce uncertainty and randomness in the lives of vaccinated. Therefore, it can be concluded that getting vaccinated is a good thing. But Old Bob remains an ardent antivaxxer.
3. #1 and #2 confirm a well know fact that Old Bob is full of it.
Richard Rasker on Friday 03 November 2023 at 08:56 said:
“…here’s another poll with an, erm, ‘interesting’ outcome:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/do-people-really-think-earth-might-be-flat/
“Just 66 percent of millennials firmly believe that the Earth is round,”
This too is information. What does it tell you?
Information is neither bad or good. It just is. It is how you use it that matters.
To win an argument with a clever person is difficult;
to win an argument with a stupis one is impossible.