Keywords
conspiracy beliefs; social influence; need to belong; conformity; fear of negative evaluation
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether social factors such as the need to belong, fear of negative evaluation, and conformity predict belief in conspiracy theories, and whether political orientation and social media use moderate these relationships. Conspiracy theories play a growing role in shaping public opinion, and identifying the social contributors to such beliefs can help explain why individuals adopt them. Ninety-nine undergraduate students completed surveys measuring conspiracy belief, need to belong, conformity, and fear of negative evaluation, along with questions about political orientation and social media use.
Correlational analyses revealed that all three social variables were weakly negatively correlated with conspiracy belief, though only fear of negative evaluation and conformity reached statistical significance. A regression model indicated that when considered together, fear of negative evaluation and conformity remained significant negative predictors, while need to belong shifted to a marginally positive predictor. The model, as a whole, explained a modest amount of variance in conspiracy belief. Further analyses tested whether political orientation or social media use strengthened or weakened these relationships, but no significant moderation or interaction effects were observed.
These findings suggest that fear of negative evaluation and conformity may serve as protective factors against conspiracy beliefs, whereas the need to belong may increase susceptibility under certain conditions. While moderation effects were not supported, the results contribute to a better understanding of how social-psychological factors influence conspiracy thinking. This knowledge may inform future strategies to reduce the spread of conspiracy beliefs in social contexts.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Fall
Thesis Chair
Neal, Raymonde
College
College of Sciences
Department
Psychology
Thesis Discipline
Psychology
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Archibald, Phoebe S., "Examining the Social Influences of Conspiratorial Belief and Endorsement" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 409.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/409
Rights Statement
