Conspiracy Theory Endorsement Profiles: A Cluster Validation Study

A substantial body of research has investigated the determinants of conspiratorial beliefs, yet little is known about different conspiracy theory endorsement profiles. The present study used cluster analysis on a set of 52 conspiratorial statements tapping into six conspiracy theory types to identify and validate conspiracy theory endorsement clusters in a randomly drawn sample of the Finnish population (N = 1077). The cluster solution was then further validated in a social media-based convenience sample (N = 772). Four conspiracy theory endorsement clusters with distinct profiles were identified and validated across the samples. Participants who belonged to more conspiracy theory-endorsing clusters held more pseudoscientific beliefs and had lower political trust than participants in the less conspiracy theory-endorsing clusters. Mixed results were found concerning demographic differences. The results provide strong evidence for the existence of four conspiracy theory endorsement profiles and support the notion of a general conspiracy mindset.