Editing Conspiracy theory (section)

===Public health campaigns===

Successful methods for dispelling conspiracy theories have been studied in the context of [[public health]] campaigns. A key characteristic of communication strategies to address medical conspiracy theories is the use of techniques that rely less on emotional appeals. It is more effective to use methods that encourage people to process information rationally. The use of visual aids is also an essential part of these strategies. Since conspiracy theories are based on intuitive thinking, and visual information processing relies on intuition, visual aids are able to compete directly for the public's attention.<ref name="Andrade2020"/>

In public health campaigns, information retention by the public is highest for loss-framed messages that include more extreme outcomes. However, excessively appealing to catastrophic scenarios (e.g. low vaccination rates causing an epidemic) may provoke anxiety, which is associated with conspiracism and could increase belief in conspiracy theories instead. [[Scare tactics]] have sometimes had mixed results, but are generally considered ineffective. An example of this is the use of images that showcase disturbing health outcomes, such as the impact of smoking on dental health. One possible explanation is that information processed via the fear response is typically not evaluated rationally, which may prevent the message from being linked to the desired behaviors.<ref name="Andrade2020"/>

A particularly important technique is the use of [[focus group]]s to understand exactly what people believe, and the reasons they give for those beliefs. This allows messaging to focus on the specific concerns that people identify, and on topics that are easily misinterpreted by the public, since these are factors which conspiracy theories can take advantage of. In addition, discussions with focus groups and observations of the group dynamics can indicate which anti-conspiracist ideas are most likely to spread.<ref name="Andrade2020"/>

Interventions that address medical conspiracy theories by reducing powerlessness include emphasizing the principle of [[informed consent]], giving patients all the relevant information without imposing decisions on them, to ensure that they have a sense of control. Improving access to healthcare also reduces medical conspiracism. However, doing so by political efforts can also fuel additional conspiracy theories, which occurred with the [[Affordable Care Act]] (Obamacare) in the United States. Another successful strategy is to require people to watch a short video when they fulfil requirements such as registration for school or a drivers' license, which has been demonstrated to improve vaccination rates and signups for organ donation.<ref name="Andrade2020"/>

Another approach is based on viewing conspiracy theories as narratives which express personal and cultural values, making them less susceptible to straightforward factual corrections, and more effectively addressed by counter-narratives.<ref name="LazicZezelj2021">{{cite journal|last1=Lazić|first1=Aleksandra|last2=Žeželj|first2=Iris|title=A systematic review of narrative interventions: Lessons for countering anti-vaccination conspiracy theories and misinformation|journal=Public Understanding of Science|volume=30|issue=6|date=18 May 2021|doi=10.1177/09636625211011881|pages=644–670|pmid=34006153}}</ref><ref name="Adornetti2023">{{cite journal|last=Adornetti|first=Ines|title=Investigating conspiracy theories in the light of narrative persuasion|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|volume=14|date=8 November 2023|doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1288125|doi-access=free|pmid=38022962|pmc=10663292}}</ref> Counter-narratives can be more engaging and memorable than simple corrections, and can be adapted to the specific values held by individuals and cultures. These narratives may depict personal experiences, or alternatively they can be cultural narratives. In the context of vaccination, examples of cultural narratives include stories about scientific breakthroughs, about the world before vaccinations, or about heroic and altruistic researchers. The themes to be addressed would be those that could be exploited by conspiracy theories to increase [[vaccine hesitancy]], such as perceptions of vaccine risk, lack of patient empowerment, and lack of trust in medical authorities.<ref name="LazicZezelj2021"/>