Do Conspiracy Theorists Tend To Be More Devout?

A nonreligious literal interpretation of religious information is more consistently related to conspiracy thinking than its religious counterpart. In contrast, a symbolic understanding of religious information decreases the propensity to endorse conspiracy beliefs and mentality. White evangelicals, the most religiously devout group among those surveyed by YouGov, are particularly susceptible to supporting QAnon and believing other conspiracy theories. A new study from Religion in Public found that Christians who consider themselves “biblical literalists” and believers who agree with Christian nationalism are more susceptible to supporting conspiracy theories.

Conspiration theories are not inherently problematic, and their association is largely due to their shared covariance with political orientation. Religious beliefs are more often situational than propositional, and reading reported conspiracy beliefs deepens our understanding of their function and nature. A national survey of 2021 U.S. adults asked about 15 psychological and political characteristics as well as beliefs in 39 different conspiracy theories.

Conspiration theories are a ubiquitous feature of our times, and the Handbook of Conspiracy Theories and Contemporary Religion is the first reference work to explore this relationship. Religious beliefs are more often situational than propositional, and reading reported conspiracy beliefs deepens our understanding of them.

Americans who most strongly assert their personal religiosity are more likely to believe contemporary falsehoods, according to Baylor sociologists. Both belief in classical conspiracy theories and belief in Covid-19 conspiracy theories are significantly related to conspiracy mentality. The belief in conspiracy narratives and the concept of conspiracy mentality have gained increasing attention in psychological science over time.