A study on the attitude of adolescents to conspiracy theories, carried out by the CSA Institute for Milan Press, was published last week. It shows that 85% of them believe at least one of these theories to be true. And the importance of this percentage is obviously sobering.
franceinfo: How do you think we can explain it? And how can we help these adolescents?
Claude Halmos: Among the reasons that push these teenagers towards conspiracy, some are undoubtedly the same as adults: the influence of social networks, and the feeling of superiority that comes from adhering to these theories.
A superiority acquired at little expense (since we can believe ourselves, without having studied anything, more learned than scientists). But who also tries to compensate for a feeling of inferiority, always very destructive. It is often linked, in adults, to a lack of social recognition; and it is coupled, in adolescents, with a feeling – generator of revolt – not to be recognized in their families.
And adherence to conspiracy theories may be one way of expressing this revolt. To tell adults: your ideas are wrong, you are wrong, and you are wrong. Your world, we don’t want it anymore!
What consequences can this adherence to conspiracy theories have on adolescents?
It can have very serious consequences. Committing to the planet and the climate is a positive commitment: it is based on exact data, it gives a grip on things, and it goes in the direction of the future, and of life.
But to believe that science lies, that secret organizations control the world, and that the state manipulates citizens, is to identify with the image of a despised and persecuted being, in a false world. And put oneself in a position of generalized mistrust which, given the fragility of adolescence, can lead to a hopeless feeling of helplessness, and fraught with consequences.
And the study shows: 9 out of 10 teenagers surveyed think the information can be distorted. But 69% of them never try to verify them. Maybe out of laziness, but maybe also because of this feeling of helplessness.
How can we help them?
Their parents should help them think. Their parents, the adolescents say, are their first source of information (with, in second place, television for 10/13 year olds, and social networks for those over 13). But they should start talking about all of this with their children, much sooner than they do. Knowing that they are not going to worry them, but on the contrary, help them.
A child can hear about the news at any time, at school, in the street or in transport. If he is used to discussing it with his parents, he will ask them questions; otherwise, he will not dare. He will seek explanations elsewhere, and this will make him prey for the networks.
So, from 6 years old, entering the “grande école”, we talk about the news as a family!