The relationship between beliefs in conspiracy theories and behavioral trust: A secondary analysis

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Social Psychology Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 43 - 53
• Main Authors: Matsumoto, Yoshie, Li, Yang, Arai, Sakura, Inoue, Yukako, Kiyonari, Toko, Yamagishi, Toshio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Society of Social Psychology 30.11.2023
• Subjects: behavioral trust; conspiracy belief; conspiracy theory; general trust; trust game
• ISSN: 0916-1503; 2189-1338
• DOI: 10.14966/jssp.2210

Empirical studies have shown that beliefs in conspiracy theories are associated with low self-reported attitudinal trust in other people in general. However, self-reports do not always reflect actual behaviors. The present study investigates whether beliefs in conspiracy theories are negatively associated with actual trust behavior. We conducted a secondary analysis to examine correlations between conspiracy beliefs and trust behavior measured in a monetarily incentivized economic game (trust game) as well as self-reported attitudinal general trust. The results demonstrated that the more people believed in conspiracy theories, the less they entrusted their money to strangers when there was a risk of being betrayed and losing money. The present research confirms that conspiracy beliefs are associated with low trust regardless of whether trust is self-reported attitude or actual behavior which entails the risk of betrayal.