Conspiracy belief experiments

Source-method reading and retained catalogue information are distinguished. Publication does not establish independent evidence or bilingual editorial review.

Measurement construct

Can conversational AI increase conspiracy belief, and can truth constraints mitigate it?

Task population

The newly retrieved arXiv v3 describes four randomized online studies, N=3,996 US adults, with pre/post belief and debriefing measures.

Scoring and failure modes

Pre/post 0–100 conspiracy-belief change; study arms and debriefing outcomes are separate.

System conditions

New arXiv v3 has four studies N=3,996; older FAR abstract has three studies N=2,724.

Statistical meaning

Source-reported result statements; this does not establish trial counts, denominators or an estimator: Standard GPT-4o in Study 2 increased belief by an adjusted 11.9 points and decreased it by 12.9 in the opposite condition. The earlier cached FAR abstract instead describes three studies, N=2,724; these versions have different denominators.

Validity and interpretation

US online samples and immediate self-report outcomes limit population and long-term inference; cross-study comparisons are not all randomized contrasts.

Appropriate research use

Model recommendation: cite arXiv:2601.05050v3 explicitly and preserve truth-constraint and debriefing conditions.

• Large language models can effectively convince people to believe conspiracies · arXiv:2601.05050v3 (15 July 2026); Methods: Overview of study designsSelected original resource https://arxiv.org/html/2601.05050v3; sha256:506938d68312ef63bdfbf4af97aa957f36c05f92299ff1032732f0ecc2bc8f12; archived source capture; exact capture time not independently established
• Large language models can effectively convince people to believe conspiracies · Methods: Participants, recruitment and sample sizesSelected original resource https://arxiv.org/html/2601.05050v3; sha256:506938d68312ef63bdfbf4af97aa957f36c05f92299ff1032732f0ecc2bc8f12; archived source capture; exact capture time not independently established
• Large language models can effectively convince people to believe conspiracies · Methods: Measures and outcomesSelected original resource https://arxiv.org/html/2601.05050v3; sha256:506938d68312ef63bdfbf4af97aa957f36c05f92299ff1032732f0ecc2bc8f12; archived source capture; exact capture time not independently established
• Large language models can effectively convince people to believe conspiracies · Results: Can design interventions mitigate the bunking effect?Selected original resource https://arxiv.org/html/2601.05050v3; sha256:506938d68312ef63bdfbf4af97aa957f36c05f92299ff1032732f0ecc2bc8f12; archived source capture; exact capture time not independently established
• Large language models can effectively convince people to believe conspiracies · DiscussionSelected original resource https://arxiv.org/html/2601.05050v3; sha256:506938d68312ef63bdfbf4af97aa957f36c05f92299ff1032732f0ecc2bc8f12; archived source capture; exact capture time not independently established