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The paper reports the results of registered conceptual replications of the indirect effect of institutional trust in the relationship between precarity and the endorsement of conspiracy beliefs (CB). The original study of Adam‐Troian et al. (2023; British Journal of Social Psychology, 62(S1), 136‐159) indicated that subjective appraisals of economic hardship are associated with lower trust in governments and institutions, which in turn is associated with stronger endorsement of CB. Our Studies 1 to 3 report a series of replications using Slovak panel data. Study 4 reports a replication of the mediation model using data from the European Social Survey Round 10 collected in 17 countries. To provide a quantitative synthesis of these and previous results, we conducted mini meta‐analysis (N = 50,340). Although the strength of the observed relationships differed across the studies to some degree, the original patterns of relations remained robust, supporting the original model. The study corroborates the view that to curb the spread of CB, it is necessary to address structural issues, such as growing financial insecurity, socioeconomic inequalities, and the deficit of institutional trust. Finally, we discuss the role of cultural and political settings in conditioning the mechanisms through which precarity enhances the endorsement of CB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to replicate previous findings on a student and non-student sample - the mid-pointed level of conspiracy beliefs and the relationship of conspiracy beliefs with analytic cognitive style and preference for analytic thinking. A total of 639 Slovak adults (58.7% women; 26.4% students) aged 18-73 years (M = 36.53; SD = 14.94) completed the Slovak Conspiracy Belief Scale, Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire, Cognitive Reflection Test, Jellybean Task, Rational-Experiential Inventory, and Master Rationality Motive Scale. Conspiracy beliefs were at the mid-pointed level. There were no differences between students and non-students in their conspiracy beliefs or conspiracy mentality. Women did not differ from men in their conspiracy beliefs but had a more pronounced conspiracy mentality than men. Finally, conspiracy mentality was the strongest predictor of conspiracy belief. Moreover, conspiracy beliefs were also predicted by a lower level of cognitive reflection and motivation for rational integration, and higher age.

The main aim of the study was to replicate and extend van Prooijen's findings on how education and its outcomes (cognitive complexity, subjective social standing, self‐esteem, a feeling of control and powerlessness, cognitive reflection, epistemic curiosity and scientific reasoning) predict conspiracy beliefs. In two studies (Study 1: N = 497, Mage = 49.06, SDage = 14.92; Study 2: N = 482, Mage = 47.45, SDage = 15.87), subjective socioeconomic status and cognitive reflection (Study 1) and a feeling of powerlessness and scientific reasoning (Study 2) contributed to the negative relationship between education level and belief in conspiracy theories. These results showed the connection of education to socioeconomic status, a feeling of control and analytic thinking (cognitive reflection, scientific reasoning) and their power to reduce conspiracy beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal crises and stressful events are associated with an upsurge of conspiracy beliefs that may help people to tackle feelings of lack of control. In our study (N = 783), we examined whether people with higher feelings of anxiety and lack of control early in the COVID‐19 pandemic endorse more conspiracy theories. Our results show that a higher perception of risk of COVID‐19 and lower trust in institutions' response to the pandemic were related to feelings of anxiety and lack of control. Feeling the lack of control, but not anxiety, independently predicted COVID‐19 conspiracy theory endorsement. Importantly, COVID‐19 conspiracy beliefs were strongly correlated with generic conspiracy and pseudoscientific beliefs, which were likewise associated with the feeling of lack of control and lower trust in institutions. The results highlight that considering people's emotional responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic is crucial for our understanding of the spread of conspiracy and pseudoscientific beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]