Conspiracy Theory and Cognitive Style: A Worldview

Frontiers in Psychology

Neil eDagnall¹ 

[1] MMU;

关键词: schizotypy;    cognitive style;    worldview;    Delusional ideation;    Conspiracist belief;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00206

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This paper assessed whether belief in conspiracy theories was associated with a particularly cognitive style (worldview). The sample comprised 223 volunteers recruited via convenience sampling and included undergraduates, postgraduates, university employees and alumni. Respondents completed measures assessing a range of cognitive-perceptual factors (schizotypy, delusional ideation and hallucination proneness) and conspiratorial beliefs (general attitudes towards conspiracist thinking and endorsement of individual conspiracies). Positive symptoms of schizotypy, particularly the cognitive-perceptual factor, correlated positively with conspiracist beliefs. The best predictor of belief in conspiracies was delusional ideation. Consistent with the notion of a coherent conspiratorial mindset, scores across conspiracy measures correlated strongly. Whilst findings supported the view that belief in conspiracies, within the sub-clinical population, was associated with a delusional thinking style, cognitive-perceptual factors in combination accounted for only 32% of the variance.

【 授权许可】

Unknown