Conspiracy Theories, Schizotypy, and Dark Triad Traits What is a Conspirator?

This video answers the questions: What is a conspirator? Is there a relationship between belief in conspiracy theories, Dark Triad traits, and schizotypy?

There is no single, agreed-upon definition of a conspiracy belief, which makes studying the phenomenon somewhat difficult. Here are two definitions that appear in the search?

1. The useless conspiracy hypothesis when other explanations are more likely.

2. An unverified and relatively implausible conspiracy claim, asserting that significant events are the result of a secret plot carried out by a supernaturally sinister and powerful group of people.

More than 50% of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory.

March E, Springer J (2019) Belief in conspiracy theories: the predictive role of schizotypy, Machiavellianism, and primary psychopathy. PLoS ONE 14(12): e0225964.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225964

Brotherton, R., French, CC and Pickering, AD (2013). Measuring belief in conspiracy theories: the generic conspiratorial beliefs scale. Frontiers in Psychology, 4. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/login.aspx?directtrue&dbpsyh&AN2013-23230-001&siteehost-live

van Prooijen, J.-W. (2019). An existential threat model of conspiracy theories. European psychologist. https://doi-org.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/10.1027/1016-9040/a000381

Oliver, JE and Wood, TJ (2014). Conspiracy theories and paranoid style(s) of mass opinion. American Journal of Political Science (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 58(4), 952-966. https://doi-org.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/10.1111/ajps.12084

Klein, C., Clutton, P., and Dunn, AG (2019). Conspiracy pathways: The social and linguistic precursors of participation in Reddit's conspiracy theory forum. PLoS ONE, 14(11), 1–23. https://doi-org.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/10.1371/journal.pone.0225098

Dagnall, N., Denovan, A., Drinkwater, K., Parker, A. and Clough, P. (2017). Statistical bias and the endorsement of conspiracy theories. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 31(4), 368-378. https://doi-org.mylibrary.wilmu.edu/10.1002/acp.3331

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