While social platforms are often criticised for their role in spreading false information, a study conducted by researchers from several US universities highlights the predominant role played by family and friends when it comes to people believing false information.

In other words, you’re more likely to believe a far-fetched theory if you’ve heard it from someone close to you.

“While social media was a key vector for exposure to conspiracies, finding those theories plausible was associated with hearing about them from social ties. This result aligns with classic ideas about the persuasive role of mass and interpersonal communication,” the research outlined.

In an attempt to understand why respondents believe conspiracy theories, the researchers questioned 2,765 people several days after the first assassination attempt in July on Donald Trump during an election campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Following this failed attempt, numerous conspiracy theories took hold, relayed by people on both sides of the political divide. Some 93% of those polled confirmed that they had heard about the attack on the former US president, 65% said they had learnt about it through television, followed by social networks (44%), then family and friends (30%).

While 38% of Americans said they had heard the theory that Democrats were behind the attack, more than half (52%) learnt about this theory on social networks, 31% heard it from friends and family, and 31% saw it on television.

In addition, 50% of respondents were aware of the conspiracy theory that the assassination attempt was staged and not real. Of these, 52% heard this idea on social networks, 32% from family and friends, and 25% on TV.

Almost a third thought the rumour could be true, including 11% who described it as “very likely” and 19% as “somewhat likely”.

“These results contrast with reports that relatively few Americans are exposed to most false information online. Quite the opposite: more than half of Americans rapidly learnt about conspiracy stories primarily through social media and interpersonal connections.

“And non-trivial percentages of those who were familiar with the stories believed them,” the study stressed.

Still, it can be hard to escape social pressure when faced with the ideas and opinions of those we hold dear. “The results show why altering conspiracy beliefs is difficult: they tend to be held by people inclined to such thinking, motivated to hold a given belief, and who received information via social ties.

“Attempts to ameliorate conspiracy beliefs need to distinguish spread from exposure and exposure from belief, as well as recognise the varying roles of media and interpersonal influence at each stage,” the research concluded.