Date of Award
2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Abstract
This study examined the propensity to engage in conspiratorial thinking by probing factors previously identified as correlating with conspiratorial thinking, including analytical reasoning, attachment, personality, political affiliation, religious fundamentalism, and trust in science. English-speaking participants aged 18 years or older, not targeting any specific demographic, were recruited via various social media platforms to complete questionnaires, including a demographic questionnaire and scales which assessed measures of reasoning style, attachment, personality, political affiliation, religious fundamentalism, and trust in science. Based on the collected data, this study supported multiple hypotheses, including that individuals with high levels of negative emotionality, a conservative political affiliation, religious fundamentalism, and a lack of trust in science were more likely to endorse conspiracy theories. Significant predictors were assessed to account for variance in conspiratorial thinking, and trust in science accounted for the most variance in conspiratorial thinking. These findings add to the body of research examining the individual factors associated with conspiratorial thinking and suggest that improving trust in science may reduce the spread of conspiracy theories.
Recommended Citation
Wynn, Bryanna, "Slippery Slope: How Individual Differences Predict Conspiratorial Thinking" (2023). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2063.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/2063