Horsetalk.co.nz Was Phar Lap killed by gangsters? Fresh research explores which conspiracies people believe in and why
Phar Lap. (AP)
Almost a third of Australians believe the racehorse Phar Lap’s sudden death in San Francisco in 1932 was the result of poisoning by US gangsters. Researchers Mathew Marques, Jim McLennan, John Kerr, Mathew Ling and Matt Williams discuss their recently published research, which shows the power of conspiracy theories.
These are some classic conspiracy theories that almost everyone has heard about, and a sizeable number of people agree with. But little research has investigated “homegrown” conspiracy theories in Australia and New Zealand, and what drives people in these countries to believe in conspiracies. Are we much different from conspiracy believers elsewhere?