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

Swami, Viren and Weis, Laura and Lay, Alixe and Barron, David and Furnham, Adrian (2016) Associations between belief in conspiracy theories and the maladaptive personality traits of the personality inventory for DSM-5. Psychiatry Research, 236. pp. 86-90. ISSN 1872-7123

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Keywords:	Conspiracy theories, Personality disorders, Maladaptive traits, Unusual beliefs, Suspiciousness
Faculty:	ARCHIVED Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences (until September 2018)
Depositing User:	Repository Admin
Date Deposited:	16 Jun 2016 11:02
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2019 16:12
URI:	https://arro.anglia.ac.uk/id/eprint/613312

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