“We don’t need no thought control”: dealing with faculty members spreading conspiracy theories
Journal
Higher Education
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2025-07-15
Author(s)
Abstract
Recent studies reveal that a significant proportion of the population in various countries endorses at least some form of conspiracy theory (CT). Notably, there have been instances of faculty members spreading CTs, despite their pedagogical obligations to foster academic and scientific thinking. While the existing literature has predominantly focused on student populations, an examination of less-studied cohorts such as faculty members seems necessary. This theoretical article delves into the prevalence, underlying factors, and ramifications of CTs within the context of higher education. The present analytic article distinguishes CTs from scientific theories, elucidates the detrimental consequences for individuals and the broader society engendered by the uncritical propagation of CTs, and scrutinizes the responsibilities of students and faculty in mitigating the dissemination of misinformation. Moreover, the article posits potential solutions from both student and faculty standpoints to counteract the proliferation of CTs in higher education.
Language
English (United States)
Keywords
conspiracy theory
higher education
faculty
lecturer
critical thinking
conceptual article
heuristic model
teaching
learning
science
pseudoscience
academic freedom
classroom
university
higher education institution
scientific theory
scientific thinking
conspiracy
conspirational thinking
mental immunity
cognitive immunology
prebunking
debunking
prevalence
cause
consequence
prevention
student
COVID-19
9/11
truth
skepticism
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Springer Nature (Switzerland)
Division(s)
Contact Email Address
stefan.siegel@unisg.ch
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
open.access
Name
Siegel et al. 2025 We don't need no thought control conspiracy theories.pdf
Size
927.67 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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