This video answers the questions: What is a conspiracist? Is there a relationship between belief in conspiracy theories, the Dark Triad Traits, and schizotypy? There is no single agreed-upon definition for a conspiracy belief, which makes studying the phenomenon somewhat difficult. Here are two definitions that appear in the research?
1. The unnecessary assumption of conspiracy when other explanations are more probable.
2. An unverified and relatively implausible allegation of conspiracy, claiming that significant events are the result of a secret plot carried out by a preternaturally sinister and powerful group of people.
Over 50% of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory.
March E, Springer J (2019) Belief in conspiracy theories: The predictive role of schizotypy, Machiavellianism, and primary psychopathy. PLoS ONE 14(12): e0225964.
Brotherton, R., French, C. C., & Pickering, A. D. (2013). Measuring belief in conspiracy theories: The Generic Conspiracist Beliefs scale. Frontiers in Psychology, 4. Retrieved from
van Prooijen, J.-W. (2019). An existential threat model of conspiracy theories. European Psychologist.
Oliver, J. E., & Wood, T. J. (2014). Conspiracy Theories and the Paranoid Style(s) of Mass Opinion. American Journal of Political Science (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 58(4), 952–966.
Klein, C., Clutton, P., & Dunn, A. G. (2019). Pathways to conspiracy: The social and linguistic precursors of involvement in Reddit’s conspiracy theory forum. PLoS ONE, 14(11), 1–23.
Dagnall, N., Denovan, A., Drinkwater, K., Parker, A., & Clough, P. (2017). Statistical Bias and Endorsement of Conspiracy Theories. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 31(4), 368–378.
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