Conspiracy theories attribute socially significant events to secret plots and schemes by
powerful, unaccountable forces (Coady, 2006; Douglas and Sutton, 2008, 2011; Goertzel …

Belief in conspiracy theories is a widespread societal phenomenon. For instance, in 2004,
according to a Zogby International poll, 49% of New York City residents believed that the US …

This article aims to reinvigorate analytical debates on conspiracy theories. It argues that
definitional attempts to set conspiracy theories apart from other theories are flawed. Blinded …

Scholarly efforts to understand conspiracy theories have grown significantly in recent years,
and there is now a broad and interdisciplinary literature. In reviewing this body of work, we …

Despite regular reference to conspiracy theories as a “belief system,” few studies have
attempted to explore the structure and organization of conspiracy beliefs beyond an …

Paranoia and belief in conspiracy theories both involve suspiciousness about the intentions
of others but have rarely been studied together. In three studies, one with a mainly student …

Conspiracy theories are inevitable in complex human societies. And while they have always
been with us, their ubiquity in our political discourse is nearly unprecedented. Their salience …

Understanding the individual-level characteristics associated with conspiracy theory beliefs
is vital to addressing and combatting those beliefs. While researchers have identified …

Conspiracy theories can form a monological belief system: A self-sustaining worldview
comprised of a network of mutually supportive beliefs. The present research shows that even …

Objective This study disentangles the known correlates of conspiracy beliefs—such as the
general predisposition toward conspiratorial thinking, authoritarianism, and partisan and …