Many Austrians Tend to Conspiracy Theories

In Austria, about 20 percent of the population tend towards conspiracy theories, which is less than in most neighboring countries. An important factor for this is "trust in institutions, trust in politics," explained project initiator Reinhard Heinisch in an interview with APA, "and that is greater in Austria than elsewhere." Only in Germany is the proportion lower at 13 percent. In Slovenia, even half of the population suspects conspiracies, while in Slovakia it is 37 percent. According to the tenth European Social Survey, northern European countries show the lowest conspiracy mentality, with Sweden at 7.2 percent. In November 2023, Salzburg researchers conducted additional surveys among eligible Austrian voters on conspiracy theories regarding Corona, migration, and climate.

Not Every Claim is a Conspiracy Theory

But not every unpopular claim is a conspiracy theory. "To say that climate change is not a problem and we should produce more CO2" or "Greta Thunberg is a terrible woman whom I reject" are radical positions - but not conspiratorial, according to Heinisch. A conspiracy theory, according to the political scientist, fulfills specific narrative characteristics: "There must be a conspiratorial group that secretly devises a plan that harms the population, is not visible to the general public, and is intended to benefit this group." For example, claims that climate change or Corona were invented by researchers who profit from it or want to control the population with injections from tech billionaires.

"We all believe that things are not always coincidences," said the expert. However, a true conspiracy mentality sees secret intrigues behind all phenomena: "In frequency and tendency, that is significant, not in the individual question." This also makes the analysis of politicians' statements in the research project difficult. Populist parties would play on myths like the "planned population exchange" - but in coded form, while "people in their minds add what politicians do not say." In countries with a high conspiracy mentality, such parties often compete: "To differentiate, one must increase the narrative and become tougher." In contrast, in crises, expert language is off-putting for many. People need to be "emotionally engaged."

Conspiracy Theories: Gender and Age Play a Minor Role

According to the researchers, looking at Austria reveals few conclusions about demographic peculiarities in dealing with conspiracy theories. There are hardly any differences in gender and age. People with a medium level of education are more susceptible, while both higher and lower educated individuals tend less towards a conspiracy mentality. Only regarding Corona are Austrians with a migration background particularly skeptical.

The survey shows the greatest differences in voting behavior. Those who vote populist or radical share conspiracy narratives more often. "Whereby certain narratives appear not only among voters of right-wing populist parties but also among left-wing populist voters." There is less interest in such narratives between the outer poles. "This shows us that it has a lot to do with trust in the system."

Differences also appear within countries: For Austria, the published values for conspiracy mentality are highest in Carinthia at 30.8 percent of the population, followed by Salzburg (23.8) and Tyrol (23.1). The lowest are Lower Austria (17.4), Vienna (15.8), and Burgenland (12.5). In between are Upper Austria (20.6), Styria, and Vorarlberg (each 19.6).

(APA/Red)

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