The sociodemographic correlates of conspiracism

Enders, Adam; Klofstad, Casey; Diekman, Amanda; Drochon, Hugo; Rogers de Waal, Joel; Littrell, Shane; Premaratne, Kamal; Verdear, Daniel; Wuchty, Stefan; Uscinski, Joseph

Abstract

Despite hundreds of studies examining belief in conspiracy theories, it is still unclear who—demographically—is most likely to believe such theories. To remedy this knowledge gap, we examine survey data containing various operationalizations of conspiracism across diverse sociopolitical contexts. Study 1 employs a 2021 U.S. survey (n = 2021) to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and beliefs in 39 conspiracy theories. Study 2 similarly employs a survey of 20 countries (n = 26,416) and 11 conspiracy theory beliefs. Study 3 reports results from a 2020 U.S. survey (n = 2015) measuring perceptions about which groups are engaging in conspiracies. Study 4 interrogates data from nine U.S. surveys (2012–2022; n = 14,334) to examine the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and generalized conspiracy thinking. Study 5 synchronizes studies 1–4 to provide an intersectional analysis of conspiracy theory belief. Across studies, we observe remarkably consistent patterns: education, income, age (older), and White identification are negatively related to conspiracism, while Black identification is positively related. We conclude by discussing why conspiracy theories may appeal most to historically marginalized groups and how our findings can inform efforts to mitigate the negative effects of conspiracy theories.

Citation

Enders, A., Klofstad, C., Diekman, A., Drochon, H., Rogers de Waal, J., Littrell, S., Premaratne, K., Verdear, D., Wuchty, S., & Uscinski, J. (2024). The sociodemographic correlates of conspiracism. Scientific Reports, 14(1), Article 14184. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-64098-1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 5, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jun 20, 2024
• Publication Date: Jun 20, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jun 21, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 21, 2024
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Electronic ISSN: 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 14184
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-64098-1
• Keywords: Conspiracy theory; Intersectionality; Gender; Race; Age; Income; Education
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/36303636
• Additional Information: Received: 19 February 2024; Accepted: 5 June 2024; First Online: 20 June 2024; : The authors declare no competing interests.