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Chapter 5 - The Role of Moral Cognitions in the Growth of QAnon

from Part II - Recruiting and Maintaining Followers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2023

By
M. Katie Cunius  and
Monica K. Miller
Edited by
Monica K. Miller
Monica K. Miller
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Reno
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Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic altered people’s lifestyle and caused them to have newfound free time with less ability to socialize. This ample time, and the polarizing influence of Trump’s presidency, likely facilitated the popularization of the conspiracy group QAnon. QAnon’s popularity partly can be attributed to the shift toward Conservative values, explained by Parasite Stress Theory, Moral Foundations Theory, and Terror Management Theory. As QAnon grew in prevalence, which subsequently increased social and aggressive acts from these groups, supporters justified the group’s actions using moral disengagement mechanisms. These acts include physical acts of violence, verbal threats of violence, and the spread of harmful misinformation. The purpose of this chapter is to apply the above-mentioned theories to understand the growth of QAnon, which can be used to garner a broader understanding of the cognitive processes of other conspiracy groups in general.

Keywords

Parasite Stress TheoryMoral Foundations TheoryTerror Management TheoryMoral DisengagementconspiracyCOVID-19Trump
Type
Chapter
Information
The Social Science of QAnon
A New Social and Political Phenomenon
 , pp. 68 - 86
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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