ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews some of the work on individual differences linked to conspiracy mentality, or to beliefs in specific conspiracy theories. It focuses on three distinct types of individual differences that may have an effect: personality, cognitive style and worldviews. Cognitive styles are relatively stable, trait-like tendencies for people to acquire and process information in different ways, such as the tendency to jump to conclusions versus seek out more information before coming to a decision. An individual’s general analytic versus intuitive cognitive style, therefore, has profound consequences for how they are likely to react to a wide variety of different situations. Cognitive shortcuts of this kind are a signature feature of intuitive cognition, valuing quick shortcuts, rough estimates and general impressions at the cost of consistent, detailed accuracy. Intuitive cognitive style seems to predict conspiracy belief quite reliably, and conspiracy belief and cognitive style share many correlates.
