“They’re Conspiring Against Us”: Follower Evaluations of Leaders Who Use Conspiratorial Rhetoric

Abstract

The apparent rise of high profile leaders who openly endorse conspiracy theories has been an increasing topic of concern among many commentators. A focus on conspiratorial explanations for events can be especially problematic during times of crisis, such as the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, when follower’s look to leaders for guidance. However, rather than reassuring followers and offering evidence-based advice, some leaders turn their attention to unsubstantiated claims that powerful actors are working against them. In an effort to explain the persistence of this seemingly counter-productive strategy, we examine follower’s evaluations of leaders who engage in such conspiratorial rhetoric. Drawing on compensatory control theory, we posit that when followers lack a sense of control they evaluate leaders who espouse conspiratorial beliefs more positively. Across two studies, we find that conspiratorial leaders are evaluated more negatively than non-conspiratorial leaders, but that this gap shrinks when followers’ sense of control is lowered. We discuss the implications of these findings both for the current crises and for high-profile leaders more generally. We raise the possibility that efforts to increase follower’s sense of control may, in the long-term, help stem the tide of conspiratorial rhetoric among high profile leaders.