Sophia Moskalenko, Georgia State University – QAnon: Real and Imaginary Dangers

Like it or not, QAnon keeps hitting the news.

Sophia Moskalenko, research fellow at Georgia State University, has more on the evolution of the conspiracy theory led group.

Sophia Moskalenko is a psychologist studying mass identity, inter-group conflict, and conspiracy theories. Her research on the psychology of radicalization has been presented at scientific conferences, government briefings, radio broadcasts and international television newscasts. As a research fellow at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (NC-START), she has worked on projects commissioned by the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and State. She has written several books, including the award-winning Friction: How Conflict Radicalizes Them and Us (2011) and The Marvel of Martyrdom: The Power of Self-Sacrifice in the Selfish World (2019). Moskalenko received her PhD in social and clinical psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

QAnon: Real and Imaginary Dangers

If you follow politics even a little bit, you’ve probably heard of QAnon, an online following numbering in the millions in the U.S. QAnon believe a baseless and debunked conspiracy theory that our mass media and the government are controlled by a cabal of satan-worshipping cannibals and pedophiles.

There are a few important things I discovered in my research about QAnon that I want to share with you.

1. QAnon is not an extremist group, even though their beliefs are extreme. Out of roughly 35 million Americans who believe QAnon’s conspiracy theories, only a few dozen have been implicated in ideologically-motivated crimes. This extremely low rate means QAnon’s ideas are not very predictive of actions.
2. A large proportion of QAnon are mentally unwell. In 2019, the rate of diagnosed mental illness in the U.S. was 19%. It was 68% among QAnons who stormed the Capitol Hill on January 6^th. The pandemic and the lockdowns took a toll on all of our mental health. QAnon may have attracted vulnerable individuals, and exacerbated their fears, anxieties and suspiciousness.
3. Even though they are not a terrorist group and may be suffering from mental health issues, QAnon presents unique dangers. They proliferate ideas that undermine the legitimacy of our institutions, making them less effective. The disinformation they spread, such as the idea that vaccines inject tracking devices into our bodies, can result in real public health consequences. Their activity in online forums contribute to political polarization and division among us. We need novel approaches to address these unique threats.