Paranormal belief and conspiracy theory endorsement: variations in adaptive function and positive wellbeing.

IF 2.6 3区 心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Frontiers in Psychology Pub Date : 2025-02-27 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1519223
Neil Dagnall, Andrew Denovan, Kenneth Graham Drinkwater, Álex Escolà-Gascón
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Recent studies report that paranormal belief and conspiracy theory endorsement are differentially related to factors allied to positive wellbeing (e.g., meaning in life and coping behaviours). Since these findings derive from correlational studies using cross sectional designs, researchers need to undertake further investigation to establish outcome robustness. Accordingly, the present study used a multiple time point design. Respondents (N = 1,158) completed measures on three occasions, three months apart. While a strong positive association was found between paranormal belief and conspiracist theory endorsement, path analysis revealed divergent relationships with positive wellbeing outcomes. Specifically, paranormal belief predicted greater levels of positive wellbeing over time (meaning in life and social identity), whereas conspiracy theory endorsement predicted only social identity. Consideration of mediation effects revealed that paranormal belief prognosticated greater presence of meaning in life via links with active coping and positive outlook. Additionally, avoidant coping positively mediated the paranormal belief-search for meaning in life relationship. Conspiracy theory endorsement predicted greater social identity via avoidant coping. Findings indicated that paranormal belief and conspiracy theory endorsement were differentially related to positive wellbeing outcomes. Regarding paranormal belief, the construct was concomitantly attendant with passive and active psychological functions. The association with avoidant coping suggested that in some circumstances supernatural credence enables believers to avert attention from problems.

超自然信仰和阴谋论认可:适应功能和积极幸福感的变化。
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来源期刊
Frontiers in Psychology
Frontiers in Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY-
CiteScore
5.30
自引率
13.20%
发文量
7396
审稿时长
14 weeks
期刊介绍: Frontiers in Psychology is the largest journal in its field, publishing rigorously peer-reviewed research across the psychological sciences, from clinical research to cognitive science, from perception to consciousness, from imaging studies to human factors, and from animal cognition to social psychology. Field Chief Editor Axel Cleeremans at the Free University of Brussels is supported by an outstanding Editorial Board of international researchers. This multidisciplinary open-access journal is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, clinicians and the public worldwide. The journal publishes the best research across the entire field of psychology. Today, psychological science is becoming increasingly important at all levels of society, from the treatment of clinical disorders to our basic understanding of how the mind works. It is highly interdisciplinary, borrowing questions from philosophy, methods from neuroscience and insights from clinical practice - all in the goal of furthering our grasp of human nature and society, as well as our ability to develop new intervention methods.
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