O dwóch psychologicznych przesłankach myślenia spiskowego. Alienacja czy autorytaryzm

• Authors: Krzysztof Korzeniowski

Title variants

EN

ON TWO PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF CONSPIRATORIAL THINKING: ALIENATION AND AUTHORITARIANISM

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The aim of the article was to test whether different forms of conspiratorial thinking may be explained in a two-way manner. First, if they may be treated as a consequence of alienation (state of helplessness and estrangement), and second, as an expression of authoritarian mentality. Four forms of conspiratorial thinking were studied: xenophobia, political paranoia, conspiratorial stereotype and anti-Semitism. Results of multiple regression analyses show that alienation and authoritarianism constitute independent predictors of all four forms of conspiratorial thinking. The twofold origin theory of conspiratorial thinking was confirmed. First, it may be understood as a form of adaptation to a state of helplessness and estrangement in face of political reality. Second, conspiratorial thinking comes out as a consequence of authoritarian mentality. The results suggest that different forms of conspiratorial thinking may have a common core.

Keywords

EN

CONSPIRATORIAL POLITICAL THINKING; POLITICAL PARANOIA; CONSPIRATORIAL STEREOTYPE; ANTI-SEMITISM; XENOPHOBIA; AUTHORITARIANISM

• Publisher: Polskie Stowarzyszenie Psychologii Społecznej, Warszawa, Poland
• Journal: Psychologia Społeczna
• Year: 2009
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 3(11)
• Pages: 144-154

Contributors

author

Krzysztof Korzeniowski

• Instytut Psychologii PAN, ul. Chodakowska 19/31, 03- 815 Warszawa, Poland