Disentangling the Relationship Between Conspiracy Mindset Versus Beliefs in Specific Conspiracy Theories

Abstract

While there is ample evidence showing that people who believe in one conspiracy theory are more likely to believe in other conspiracy theories, and many studies that show that some people have a stronger general propensity to believe in conspiracy theories – i.e., conspiracy mindset – than others, the empirical relationship between conspiracy mindset and beliefs in specific conspiracy theories is unclear. This paper thus aims to investigate this relationship using a unique three-wave panel study. Among other things, the findings suggest that a conspiracy mindset empirically can be distinguished from beliefs in specific conspiracy theories, and that conspiracy mindset is a stronger predictor of beliefs in specific conspiracy theories than the other way around.