Political tribalism, polarization, and the motivated rejection of science

Conspiracy theories often emerge as manifestations of a deeply divided and tribalistic political landscape, where misinformation and exaggerated narratives serve as information weapons. Conspiracy theories can also serve as the cause of conflict, exacerbating political polarization and hostility. Hungary, a nation marked by exceptionally high levels of tribal polarization and plagued by pervasive disinformation, presents an ideal case for examining the polarizing nature of conspiracy theories. The author’s research, conducted on representative samples in Hungary, revealed that tribalism, characterized by a fusion of a Manichean worldview and authoritarian tendencies, was higher among supporters of the right-wing authoritarian populist Fidesz party in government in 2018 but that by 2022, opposition parties had caught up and even displayed higher levels of tribalistic thinking (both years were election years). Furthermore, the author’s investigations found that the conflict in Ukraine had a significantly more polarizing impact on the Hungarian population compared to the polarization surrounding COVID-19 and vaccine-related issues. These findings are surprising as the Hungarian government utilized both the vaccination campaign and the conflict in Ukraine to discredit the opposition, labeling them as “anti-vaxxers” and later as “warmongers.” Intriguingly, trust in science was not a highly polarizing issue in Hungary. The author explores the broader implications of these findings for understanding tribal thinking and the role of Hungary’s informational autocracy in manipulating tribalism.