A1 Journal article (refereed)
On Conspiracy Thought Models in Thinking Climate Change (2023)


Myllylä, M., Cañas Delgado, J. J., & Saariluoma, P. (2023). On Conspiracy Thought Models in Thinking Climate Change. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 12(3), Article 15. https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2023.v12n3p15


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editors: Myllylä, Mari; Cañas Delgado, José Juan; Saariluoma, Pertti

Journal or series: European Journal of Sustainable Development

ISSN: 2239-5938

eISSN: 2239-6101

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 01/10/2023

Volume: 12

Issue number: 3

Article number: 15

Publisher: European Center of Sustainable Development

Publication country: Italy

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2023.v12n3p15

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/89366


Abstract

People make mistakes in their thinking. Errors in human thinking and incorrect information contents in people’s mental representations can be found in everyday context such as in arguments about the current climate crisis. Erroneous thinking can cause false thought models such as climate change denialism and conspiracy thinking. Therefore, it is important to analyze the information contents of incorrect schemas or thought models. This can be done with an approach called content-based psychology.
In this research we analyzed 2980 public opinions posted in Finnish Social Media Platform Suomi24 to study how people think about and what kinds of illusory contents they use in constructing their representations on climate issues. We wanted to ask whether one can find illusory thinking in social media posts and to outline a typical construction of a false thought model in conspiracy thinking related to climate change. As a result, we found that conspiracy thinking can be found in online media discussions, and it is strongly associated with climate change denialism. Also, different fallacious or biased thought models have combined effects in constructing active mental representations in conspiracy thought models. Analyzing mental contents makes it possible to understand denialist and illusory thinking, but it requires further work.


Keywords: conspiracy theories; social media; climate changes; climate crisis

Free keywords: climate change thinking; erroneous thinking; content-based psychology; denialism; conspiracy thinking


Contributing organizations


Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2023

JUFO rating: 0


Last updated on 2024-15-06 at 01:26