“Trust me, do not trust anyone”: how epistemic mistrust and credulity are associated with conspiracy mentality

Submitted: July 7, 2023
Accepted: October 30, 2023
Published: December 28, 2023
Abstract Views: 1638
PDF: 604
HTML: 121
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Previous research shows that the propensity to endorse conspiracy theories is associated with disrupted forms of epistemic trust, i.e., the appropriate openness towards interpersonally communicated information. There are associations, first, with an increased mistrust in several actors and institutions responsible for the communication of information in society, and second, with a pronounced credulity in unreliable sources and implausible phenomena (e.g., superstition, astrology). This study aims to investigate whether these phenomena are associated with specific personality-related disruptions of epistemic trust. Based on selfreported data of 417 individuals (mean = 33.28; standard deviation = 11.11) from a UK population sampled online, the potential relationships between disruptions in epistemic trust and the endorsement of a conspiracy mentality are explored. The epistemic stances characterized by mistrust and credulity (independent variables) are measured with the epistemic trust, mistrust, and credulity questionnaire (ETMCQ), and conspiracy mentality (dependent variable) is measured with the conspiracy mentality questionnaire. In a multiple linear regression model, mistrust is associated with the endorsement of a conspiracy mentality, even when accounting for other contributing factors (e.g., individual narcissism, attachment avoidance and anxiety, authoritarianism, loneliness). In a bootstrapped mediation model controlling for other relevant predictors, the association between credulity and conspiracy mentality is fully mediated by mistrust. In future research, the impact of disrupted epistemic trust on conspiracy beliefs should be investigated in terms of the specific epistemic stances of mistrust and credulity. In this respect, the ETMCQ represents a highly promising instrument to assess individual differences in factors underpinning aspects of conspiracy endorsement.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Abalakina‐Paap, M., Stephan, W. G., Craig, T., & Gregory, W. L. (1999). Beliefs in Conspiracies. Political Psychology, 20(3), 637-647. doi: 10.1111/0162-895X.00160. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00160
Bauer, A., Stevens, M., Purtscheller, D., Knapp, M., Fonagy, P., Evans-Lacko, S., & Paul, J. (2021). Mobilising social support to improve mental health for children and adolescents: a systematic review using principles of realist synthesis. PLoS One, 16(5), e0251750. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251750. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251750
Biddlestone, M., Green, R., Cichocka, A., Douglas, K., & Sutton, R. M. (2022). A systematic review and meta-analytic synthesis of the motives associated with conspiracy beliefs. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/rxjqc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/rxjqc
Bowes, S. M., Costello, T. H., & Tasimi, A. (2023). The conspiratorial mind: A meta-analytic review of motivational and personological correlates. Psychological Bulletin, 149(5–6), 259–293. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000392Bruder, M., Haffke, P., Neave, N., Nouripanah, N., & Imhoff, R. (2013). Measuring individual differences in generic beliefs in conspiracy theories across cultures: conspiracy mentality questionnaire. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 225. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00225
Campbell, C., & Allison, E. (2022). Mentalizing the modern world. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 36(3), 206-217. doi: 10.1080/02668734.2022.2089906. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02668734.2022.2089906
Campbell, C., Tanzer, M., Saunders, R., Booker, T., Allison, E., Li, E., O’Dowda, C., Luyten, P., & Fonagy, P. (2021). Development and validation of a self-report measure of epistemic trust. PLoS One, 16(4), e0250264. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250264
Choi-Kain, L. W., Simonsen, S., & Euler, S. (2022). A mentalizing approach for narcissistic personality disorder: moving from “me-mode” to “we-mode”. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 75(1), 38-43. doi: 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20210017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20210017
Cichocka, A., Marchlewska, M., & Biddlestone, M. (2022). Why do narcissists find conspiracy theories so appealing? Current Opinion in Psychology, 47, 101386. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101386. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101386
De Coninck, D., Frissen, T., Matthijs, K., d’Haenens, L., Lits, G., Champagne-Poirier, O., Carignan, M.-E., David, M. D., Pignard-Cheynel, N., Salerno, S., & Généreux, M. (2021). Beliefs in conspiracy theories and misinformation about COVID-19: comparative perspectives on the role of anxiety, depression and exposure to and trust in information sources. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 646394. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646394. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646394
Decker, O., Brähler, E., Kiess, J., & Brähler, E. (2022). The Dynamics of Right-Wing Extremism within German Society: Escape into Authoritarianism. Abingdon-on-Thames, Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003218616. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003218616
Douglas, K. M., & Sutton, R. M. (2023). What are conspiracy theories? A definitional approach to their correlates, consequences, and communication. Annual Review of Psychology, 74(1), 271-298. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031329. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031329
Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2017). The psychology of conspiracy theories. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(6), 538-542. doi: 10.1177/0963721417718261. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417718261
Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. (2019). Belief in conspiracy theories. In J. P. Forgas & R. F. Baumeister (Hrsg.), The social psychology of gullibility (pp. 61-76). Abingdon-on-Thames, Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429203787-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429203787-4
Fiorini Bincoletto, A., Zanini, L., Spitoni, G. F., & Lingiardi, V. (2023). Negative and positive ageism in an Italian sample: how ageist beliefs relate to epistemic trust, psychological distress, and well-being. Research in Psychotherapy, 26(2), 676. doi: 10.4081/ripppo.2023.676. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2023.676
Fonagy, P., Campbell, C., Constantinou, M., Higgitt, A., Allison, E., & Luyten, P. (2022). Culture and psychopathology: an attempt at reconsidering the role of social learning. Development and Psychopathology, 34(4), 1205-1220. doi: 10.1017/S0954579421000092. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579421000092
Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., Allison, E., & Campbell, C. (2017). What we have changed our minds about: part 2. Borderline personality disorder, epistemic trust and the developmental significance of social communication. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 4, 9. doi: 10.1186/s40479-017-0062-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-017-0062-8
Freeman, D., & Bentall, R. P. (2017). The concomitants of conspiracy concerns. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 52(5), 595-604. doi: 10.1007/s00127-017-1354-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-017-1354-4
Freeman, D., Waite, F., Rosebrock, L., Petit, A., Causier, C., East, A., Jenner, L., Teale, A. L., Carr, L., Mulhall, S., Bold, E., & Lambe, S. (2022). Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs, mistrust, and compliance with government guidelines in England. Psychological Medicine, 52(2), 251-263. doi: 10.1017/S0033291720001890. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720001890
Frenken, M., & Imhoff, R. (2021). A uniform conspiracy mindset or differentiated reactions to specific conspiracy beliefs? Evidence from latent profile analyses. International Review of Social Psychology, 34(1), 27. doi: 10.5334/irsp.590. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.590
Frenken, M., & Imhoff, R. (2023). Don’t trust anybody: conspiracy mentality and the detection of facial trustworthiness cues. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 37(2), 256-265. doi: 10.1002/acp.3955. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3955
Frischlich, L., Hellmann, J. H., Brinkschulte, F., Becker, M., & Back, M. D. (2021). Right-wing authoritarianism, conspiracy mentality, and susceptibility to distorted alternative news. Social Influence, 16(1), 24-64. doi: 10.1080/15534510.2021.1966499. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15534510.2021.1966499
Goertzel, T. (1994). Belief in conspiracy theories. Political Psychology, 15(4), 733-744. doi: DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3791630
3389/fpos.2021.642510.
Goreis, A., & Voracek, M. (2019). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychological Research on Conspiracy Beliefs: Field Characteristics, Measurement Instruments, and Associations With Personality Traits. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 205. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00205 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00205
Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (Second edition). The Guilford Press.
Heller, A., Decker, O., Schmalbach, B., Beutel, M., Fegert, J. M., Brähler, E., & Zenger, M. (2020). Detecting authoritarianism efficiently: psychometric properties of the screening instrument authoritarianism – ultra short (A-US) in a German representative sample. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 533863. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.533863. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.533863
Hettich, N., Beutel, M. E., Ernst, M., Schliessler, C., Kampling, H., Kruse, J., & Braehler, E. (2022). Conspiracy endorsement and its associations with personality functioning, anxiety, loneliness, and sociodemographic characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic in a representative sample of the German population. PLoS One, 17(1), e0263301. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263301.Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655-672. doi: 10.1177/0164027504268574. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263301
Imhoff, R. (2023). The psychology of pandemic conspiracy theories. In M. Butter & P. Knight, Covid conspiracy theories in global perspective (pp. 15-25). Abingdon-on-Thames, Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003330769-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003330769-4
Imhoff, R., Bertlich, T., & Frenken, M. (2022). Tearing apart the “evil” twins: a general conspiracy mentality is not the same as specific conspiracy beliefs. Current Opinion in Psychology, 46, 101349. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101349. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101349
Imhoff, R., & Lamberty, P. (2018). How paranoid are conspiracy believers? Toward a more fine‐grained understanding of the connect and disconnect between paranoia and belief in conspiracy theories. European Journal of Social Psychology, 48(7), 909-926. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2494. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2494
Imhoff, R., Lamberty, P., & Klein, O. (2018). Using power as a negative cue: how conspiracy mentality affects epistemic trust in sources of historical knowledge. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 44(9), 1364-1379. doi: 10.1177/0146167218768779. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218768779
Imhoff, R., Zimmer, F., Klein, O., António, J. H. C., Babinska, M., Bangerter, A., Bilewicz, M., Blanuša, N., Bovan, K., Bužarovska, R., Cichocka, A., Delouvée, S., Douglas, K. M., Dyrendal, A., Etienne, T., Gjoneska, B., Graf, S., Gualda, E., Hirschberger, G., Kende, A., Kutiyski, Y., Krekó, P., Krouwel, A., Mari, S., Đorđević, J. M., Panasiti, M. S., Pantazi, M., Petkovski, L., Porciello, G., Rabelo, A., Radu, R. N., Sava, F. A., Schepisi, M., Sutton, R. M., Swami, V., Thórisdóttir, H., Turjačanin, V., Wagner-Egger, P., Žeželj, I., van Prooijen, J. W. (2022). Conspiracy mentality and political orientation across 26 countries. Nature Human Behaviour, 6(3), 392-403. doi: 10.1038/s41562-021-01258-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01258-7
Kampling, H., Kruse, J., Lampe, A., Nolte, T., Hettich, N., Brähler, E., Sachser, C., Fegert, J. M., Gingelmaier, S., Fonagy, P., Krakau, L., Zara, S., & Riedl, D. (2022). Epistemic trust and personality functioning mediate the association between adverse childhood experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder in adulthood. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 919191. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.919191. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.919191
Kampling, H., Riedl, D., Hettich, N., Lampe, A., Nolte, T., Zara, S., Ernst, M., Brähler, E., Sachser, C., Fegert, J.M., Gingelmaier, S., Fonagy, P., Krakau, L., & Kuse, J. (2023). Associations between adverse childhood experiences and conspiracy endorsement – the mediating role of epistemic trust and personality functioning: a representative study during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 169, 111275. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111275. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111275
Knapen, S., van Diemen, R., Hutsebaut, J., Fonagy, P., & Beekman, A. (2022). Defining the concept and clinical features of epistemic trust: a delphi study. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 210(4), 312-314. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001446. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001446
Liotti, M., Milesi, A., Spitoni, G. F., Tanzilli, A., Speranza, A. M., Parolin, L., Campbell, C., Fonagy, P., Lingiardi, V., & Giovanardi, G. (2023). Unpacking trust: the Italian validation of the epistemic trust, mistrust, and credulity questionnaire (ETMCQ). PLoS One, 18(1), e0280328. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280328. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280328
Magarini, F. M., Pinelli, M., Sinisi, A., Ferrari, S., De Fazio, G. L., & Galeazzi, G. M. (2021). Irrational beliefs about COVID-19: a scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 9839. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18199839. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18199839
Martinez, A. P., Shevlin, M., Valiente, C., Hyland, P., & Bentall, R. P. (2022). Paranoid beliefs and conspiracy mentality are associated with different forms of mistrust: a three-nation study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1023366. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1023366. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1023366
Milošević Đorđević, J., Žeželj, I., & Đurić, Ž. (2021). Beyond general political attitudes: conspiracy mentality as a global belief system predicts endorsement of international and local conspiracy theories. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 9(1), 144-158. doi: 10.5964/jspp.5609. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.5609
Nimbi, F. M., Giovanardi, G., Baiocco, R., Tanzilli, A., & Lingiardi, V. (2023). Monkeypox: new epidemic or fake news? Study of psychological and social factors associated with fake news attitudes of monkeypox in Italy. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1093763. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093763. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1093763
Nolte, T., Hutsebaut, J., Sharp, C., Campbell, C., Fonagy, P., & Bateman, A. (2023). The role of epistemic trust in mentalization-based treatment of borderline psychopathology. Journal of Personality Disorders, 37(5). doi: 10.1521/pedi.2023.37.5.633. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi.2023.37.5.633
Nolte, T., Schwarzer, N., Riedl, D., Lashani, E., Kamplig, H., Lampe, A., Kruse, J., Campbell, C., Montague, P.R., Fonagy, P., & Gingelmaier, S. (under review). Validation of the German version of the epistemic trust, mistrust and credulity questionnaire.
Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2021). The psychology of fake news. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(5), 388-402. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007
Pickel, G., Öztürk, C., Schneider, V., Pickel, S., & Decker, O. (2022). Covid‐19‐related conspiracy myths, beliefs, and democracy‐endangering consequences. Politics and Governance, 10(4), 177-191. doi: 10.17645/pag.v10i4.5798. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v10i4.5798
Pierre, J. M. (2020). Mistrust and misinformation: a two-component, socio-epistemic model of belief in conspiracy theories. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 8(2), 617-641 doi: 10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1362. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1362
Pilch, I., Turska-Kawa, A., Wardawy, P., Olszanecka-Marmola, A., & Smołkowska-Jędo, W. (2023). Contemporary trends in psychological research on conspiracy beliefs. A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1075779. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1075779 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1075779
Pincus, A. L., Ansell, E. B., Pimentel, C. A., Cain, N. M., Wright, A. G. C., & Levy, K. N. (2009). Initial construction and validation of the pathological narcissism inventory. Psychological Assessment, 21(3), 365-379. doi: 10.1037/a0016530. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016530
Plohl, N., & Musil, B. (2021). Modeling compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines: The critical role of trust in science. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 26(1), 1-12. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2020.1772988. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2020.1772988
Schröder-Pfeifer, P., Georg, A. K., Talia, A., Volkert, J., Ditzen, B., & Taubner, S. (2022). The epistemic trust assessment - an experimental measure of epistemic trust. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 39(1), 50-58. doi: 10.1037/pap0000322. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/pap0000322
Sibley, C. G., Fischer, R., & Liu, J. H. (2005). Reliability and validity of the revised experiences in close relationships (ECR-R) self-report measure of adult romantic attachment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(11), 1524-1536. doi: 10.1177/0146167205276865. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167205276865
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2019). Using multivariate statistics (7th edition). London, Pearson.
Tanzer, M., Campbell, C., Saunders, R., Luyten, P., Booker, T., & Fonagy, P. (2021). Acquiring knowledge: epistemic trust in the age of fake news. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/g2b6k. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/g2b6k
Tanzilli, A., Cibelli, A., Liotti, M., Fiorentino, F., Williams, R., & Lingiardi, V. (2022). Personality, defenses, mentalization, and epistemic trust related to pandemic containment strategies and the COVID-19 vaccine: a sequential mediation model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 14290. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114290
Thielmann, I., & Hilbig, B. E. (2023). Generalized dispositional distrust as the common core of populism and conspiracy mentality. Political Psychology, 44(4), 789-805. doi: 10.1111/pops.12886. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12886
Tonković, M., Dumančić, F., Jelić, M., & Čorkalo Biruški, D. (2021). Who believes in COVID-19 conspiracy theories in Croatia? Prevalence and predictors of conspiracy beliefs. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 643568. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643568. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643568
van der Linden, S., Panagopoulos, C., Azevedo, F., & Jost, J. T. (2021). The paranoid style in American politics revisited: an ideological asymmetry in conspiratorial thinking. Political Psychology, 42(1), 23-51. doi: 10.1111/pops.12681. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12681
van Mulukom, V., Pummerer, L. J., Alper, S., Bai, H., Čavojová, V., Farias, J., Kay, C. S., Lazarevic, L. B., Lobato, E. J. C., Marinthe, G., Pavela Banai, I., Šrol, J., & Žeželj, I. (2022). Antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs: a systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 301, 114912. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114912. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114912
van Prooijen, J., Cohen Rodrigues, T., Bunzel, C., Georgescu, O., Komáromy, D., & Krouwel, A. P. M. (2022). Populist gullibility: conspiracy theories, news credibility, bullshit receptivity, and paranormal belief. Political Psychology, 43(6), 1061-1079. doi: 10.1111/pops.12802. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12802
van Prooijen, J. W. (2019). Belief in conspiracy theories: gullibility or rational skepticism? In J. P. Forgas & R. F. Baumeister (Eds.), The social psychology of gullibility: fake news, conspiracy theories, and irrational beliefs (pp. 319-332). Abingdon-on-Thames, Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429203787. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429203787-17
van Prooijen, J. W., & Imhoff, R. (2022). The psychological study of conspiracy theories: strengths and limitations. Current Opinion in Psychology, 48, 101465. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101465. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101465

How to Cite

Brauner, F., Fonagy, P., Campbell, C., Griem, J., Storck, T., & Nolte, T. (2023). “Trust me, do not trust anyone”: how epistemic mistrust and credulity are associated with conspiracy mentality. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 26(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2023.705

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.