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Is Belief in Conspiracy Theories Pathological? A Survey Experiment on the Cognitive Roots of Extreme Suspicion

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  • Radnitz, Scott
  • Underwood, Patrick

Abstract

What are the origins of belief in conspiracy theories? The dominant approach to studying conspiracy theories links belief to social stresses or personality type, and does not take into account the situational and fluctuating nature of attitudes. In this study, a survey experiment, subjects are presented with a mock news article designed to induce conspiracy belief. Subjects are randomly assigned three manipulations hypothesized to heighten conspiracy perceptions: a prime to induce anxiety; information about the putative conspirator; and the number and identifiability of the victim(s). The results indicate that conspiratorial perceptions can emerge from both situational triggers and subtle contextual variables. Conspiracy beliefs emerge as ordinary people make judgments about the social and political world.

Suggested Citation

  • Radnitz, Scott & Underwood, Patrick, 2017. "Is Belief in Conspiracy Theories Pathological? A Survey Experiment on the Cognitive Roots of Extreme Suspicion," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(1), pages 113-129, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:47:y:2017:i:01:p:113-129_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Raluca Buturoiu & Georgiana Udrea & Denisa-Adriana Oprea & Nicoleta Corbu, 2021. "Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories about the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania? An Analysis of Conspiracy Theories Believers’ Profiles," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Hajime Tomura, 2022. "What Will Be the Impact of Fintech on the Payment System? A Perspective from Money Creation," Working Papers 2205, Waseda University, Faculty of Political Science and Economics.
    3. Mason Youngblood & Joseph M. Stubbersfield & Olivier Morin & Ryan Glassman & Alberto Acerbi, 2023. "Negativity bias in the spread of voter fraud conspiracy theory tweets during the 2020 US election," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Sara Staszak & Julia Maciejowska & Wiktoria Urjasz & Tomasz Misiuro & Andrzej Cudo, 2022. "The Relationship between the Need for Closure and Coronavirus Fear: The Mediating Effect of Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories about COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Alexander Libman & Björn Vollan, 2019. "Anti-Western Conspiracy Thinking in China and Russia: Empirical Evidence and its Link to Expectations of Collusion," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 135-163, December.

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