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Associations between belief in conspiracy theories and the maladaptive personality traits of the personality inventory for DSM-5

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posted on 2023-08-30, 14:17 authored by Viren Swami, Laura Weis, Alixe Lay, David Barron, Adrian Furnham
Conspiracy theories can be treated as both rational narratives of the world as well as outcomes of underlying maladaptive traits. Here, we examined associations between belief in conspiracy theories and individual differences in personality disorders. An Internet-based sample (N=259) completed measures of belief in conspiracy theories and the 25 facets of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). Preliminary analyses showed no significant differences in belief in conspiracy theories across participant sex, ethnicity, and education. Regression analyses showed that the PID-5 facets of Unusual Beliefs and Experiences and, to a lesser extent, Suspiciousness, significantly predicted belief in conspiracy theories. These findings highlight a role for maladaptive personality traits in understanding belief in conspiracy theories, but require further investigation.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

236

Page range

86-90

Publication title

Psychiatry Research

ISSN

1872-7123

Publisher

Elsevier

File version

  • Accepted version

Language

  • eng

Legacy posted date

2016-06-16

Legacy creation date

2019-05-16

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

ARCHIVED Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences (until September 2018)

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