Monological or Ideological? Themes and Psychosocial Predictors of Conspiracy Belief

Abstract

Research in conspiracy theories has aimed to categorise beliefs, understand motivations, and investigate predictors in order to better understand their adoption. A growing body of research exists investigating conspiracy theories as means for satisfying different psychological and social needs, thought to be related to different cognitive styles, personality, and ideologies. To expand on this, the current study investigates a number of conspiracy theories through factor analysis, and psychosocial correlates of each factor. Factor analysis suggests conspiracy theories of similar topics tend to group together in their level of endorsement. Factors cover government malfeasance, anti-scientific rhetoric, extra-terrestrials, new-age spirituality, and political/social views. Correlation and regression analyses show differing relationships between each factor and psychosocial factors including political/ideological values, personality traits, demographics, and social media platform usage. The findings add to understanding around different pathways to conspiracy beliefs and why different groups may be susceptible to certain theories. This knowledge may inform a more nuanced approach to intervention than currently used generic approaches.