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Conspiracy mentality and political orientation across 26 countries

Author

Listed:
  • Roland Imhoff

    (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)

  • Felix Zimmer

    (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)

  • Olivier Klein

    (Université libre de Bruxelles)

  • João H. C. António

    (Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CIEP)

  • Maria Babinska

    (University of Warsaw)

  • Adrian Bangerter

    (University of Neuchâtel)

  • Michal Bilewicz

    (University of Warsaw)

  • Nebojša Blanuša

    (University of Zagreb)

  • Kosta Bovan

    (University of Zagreb)

  • Rumena Bužarovska

    (University Ss Cyril and Methodius)

  • Aleksandra Cichocka

    (University of Kent)

  • Sylvain Delouvée

    (Université de Rennes)

  • Karen M. Douglas

    (University of Kent)

  • Asbjørn Dyrendal

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

  • Tom Etienne

    (Research Institute Kieskompas)

  • Biljana Gjoneska

    (Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts)

  • Sylvie Graf

    (University of Bern
    Czech Academy of Sciences)

  • Estrella Gualda

    (Universidad de Huelva)

  • Gilad Hirschberger

    (Interdisciplinary Center (IDC))

  • Anna Kende

    (ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University)

  • Yordan Kutiyski

    (Research Institute Kieskompas)

  • Peter Krekó

    (ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University)

  • Andre Krouwel

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Silvia Mari

    (University of Milano - Bicocca)

  • Jasna Milošević Đorđević

    (Singidunum University)

  • Maria Serena Panasiti

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Myrto Pantazi

    (University of Oxford)

  • Ljupcho Petkovski

    (Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Giuseppina Porciello

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • André Rabelo

    (Universidade de Brasília)

  • Raluca Nicoleta Radu

    (University of Bucharest)

  • Florin A. Sava

    (West University of Timisoara)

  • Michael Schepisi

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Robbie M. Sutton

    (University of Kent)

  • Viren Swami

    (Anglia Ruskin University
    Perdana University)

  • Hulda Thórisdóttir

    (University of Iceland)

  • Vladimir Turjačanin

    (University of Banja Luka)

  • Pascal Wagner-Egger

    (Université de Fribourg)

  • Iris Žeželj

    (University of Belgrade)

  • Jan-Willem Prooijen

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Abstract

People differ in their general tendency to endorse conspiracy theories (that is, conspiracy mentality). Previous research yielded inconsistent findings on the relationship between conspiracy mentality and political orientation, showing a greater conspiracy mentality either among the political right (a linear relation) or amongst both the left and right extremes (a curvilinear relation). We revisited this relationship across two studies spanning 26 countries (combined N = 104,253) and found overall evidence for both linear and quadratic relations, albeit small and heterogeneous across countries. We also observed stronger support for conspiracy mentality among voters of opposition parties (that is, those deprived of political control). Nonetheless, the quadratic effect of political orientation remained significant when adjusting for political control deprivation. We conclude that conspiracy mentality is associated with extreme left- and especially extreme right-wing beliefs, and that this non-linear relation may be strengthened by, but is not reducible to, deprivation of political control.

Suggested Citation

  • Roland Imhoff & Felix Zimmer & Olivier Klein & João H. C. António & Maria Babinska & Adrian Bangerter & Michal Bilewicz & Nebojša Blanuša & Kosta Bovan & Rumena Bužarovska & Aleksandra Cichocka & Sylv, 2022. "Conspiracy mentality and political orientation across 26 countries," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(3), pages 392-403, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:6:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1038_s41562-021-01258-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01258-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. J. Eric Oliver & Thomas J. Wood, 2014. "Conspiracy Theories and the Paranoid Style(s) of Mass Opinion," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 58(4), pages 952-966, October.
    2. David Richter & Jürgen Schupp, 2015. "The SOEP Innovation Sample (SOEP IS)," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 135(3), pages 389-400.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Kevin Winter & Matthew J. Hornsey & Lotte Pummerer & Kai Sassenberg, 2022. "Anticipating and defusing the role of conspiracy beliefs in shaping opposition to wind farms," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(12), pages 1200-1207, December.
    2. Roşu, Maria-Magdalena & Fiscutean, Andrada & Paun, Mihaela, 2024. "The press and government, influencers of citizens’ political opinions: A quasi-experiment on Brexit," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 272-288.
    3. Serhan Cevik, 2024. "How Mumbo-Jumbo conquered the world: empirical analysis of conspiracy theories," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1-13, August.
    4. Shelley Boulianne & Sangwon Lee, 2022. "Conspiracy Beliefs, Misinformation, Social Media Platforms, and Protest Participation," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(4), pages 30-41.
    5. Jonas R. Kunst & Aleksander B. Gundersen & Izabela Krysińska & Jan Piasecki & Tomi Wójtowicz & Rafal Rygula & Sander van der Linden & Mikolaj Morzy, 2024. "Leveraging artificial intelligence to identify the psychological factors associated with conspiracy theory beliefs online," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Kinga Bierwiaczonek & Sam Fluit & Tilmann Soest & Matthew J. Hornsey & Jonas R. Kunst, 2024. "Loneliness trajectories over three decades are associated with conspiracist worldviews in midlife," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Steve Rathje & Jon Roozenbeek & Jay J. Bavel & Sander Linden, 2023. "Accuracy and social motivations shape judgements of (mis)information," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(6), pages 892-903, June.

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