Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 24, 2025
06:42
Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
11.8K
Magic and Politics: Conspirituality and COVID-19.
1Harvard Divinity School and the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University, 45 Francis avenue, Cambridge MA 01238, USA.
Journal of the American Academy of Religion. American Academy of Religion
|August 16, 2021
Summary
Conspiracy theories are attractive because they can be an aesthetic practice. This study explores the link between New Age spirituality and conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Religion
- Cultural Studies
- Political Science
Background:
- Investigates the appeal of conspiracy theories, particularly their relationship with New Age spirituality.
- Examines the phenomenon of 'conspirituality' during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.
- Distinguishes between 'conspiracy-believing' as a practice and 'belief in conspiracies' as a stance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To offer a novel interpretation of conspiracism beyond cognitive and emotional factors.
- To understand conspiracy theories as an aesthetic (sensory and artistic) practice.
- To analyze conspirituality as an expression of 'dissensus' and a quest for recognition.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis engaging with philosophical thought (Jacques Rancière).
- Interdisciplinary approach combining studies on contemporary Paganism and Western esotericism.
- Focus on the Italian context during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Main Results:
- Conspiracy-believing can be framed as an aesthetic practice, offering sensory and artistic engagement.
- Conspirituality during lockdown reflects a desire for acknowledgment and legitimation.
- The adoption of conspiracy theories is linked to a 'community of sense' seeking recognition for their worldview.
Conclusions:
- Conspiracy theories serve aesthetic and social functions beyond mere belief.
- Understanding conspirituality requires attention to aesthetic practices and the pursuit of recognition.
- This perspective challenges traditional views focusing solely on psychological vulnerabilities.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Magical Thinking
23
Magical thinking encompasses the belief in assumptions that defy logical reasoning yet appear intuitively convincing. It is a common psychological phenomenon that persists across various cultural and individual contexts. While these assumptions contradict empirical evidence and scientific laws, they often serve meaningful psychological roles in promoting emotional resilience and a sense of control, especially under stress or uncertainty.Thought-Action Fusion and the Law of SimilarityA key...
23
01:21Causality in Epidemiology
1.1K
Causality or causation is a fundamental concept in epidemiology, vital for understanding the relationships between various factors and health outcomes. Despite its importance, there's no single, universally accepted definition of causality within the discipline. Drawing from a systematic review, causality in epidemiology encompasses several definitions, including production, necessary and sufficient, sufficient-component, counterfactual, and probabilistic models. Each has its strengths and...
1.1K
01:53Cause and Effect
11.6K
While variables are sometimes correlated because one does cause the other, it could also be that some other factor, a confounding variable, is actually causing the systematic movement in our variables of interest. For instance, as sales in ice cream increase, so does the overall rate of crime. Is it possible that indulging in your favorite flavor of ice cream could send you on a crime spree? Or, after committing crime do you think you might decide to treat yourself to a cone?
11.6K
01:23Extrasensory Perception
498
Extrasensory perception, or ESP, suggests the ability to perceive events beyond the conventional senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Parapsychologists, who research ESP and related psychic phenomena, categorize ESP into three main types: precognition, telepathy, and clairvoyance.
Precognition involves foreseeing future events, such as predicting an accident before it happens. An example of precognition could be someone dreaming about a specific event, like a car crash, which then occurs...
Precognition involves foreseeing future events, such as predicting an accident before it happens. An example of precognition could be someone dreaming about a specific event, like a car crash, which then occurs...
498
01:51Vaccinations
46.9K
Overview
46.9K
01:30Magnetism
7.1K
Magnets are commonly found in everyday objects, such as toys, hangers, elevators, doorbells, and computer devices. Experimentation on these magnets shows that all magnets have two poles: one is labeled north (N) and the other south (S). Magnetic poles repel if they are alike and attract if unlike. Moreover, both poles of a magnet attract unmagnetized pieces of iron.
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
7.1K