Objective: We sought to replicate and extend provisional research on the personological correlates of conspiracy beliefs by examining their associations with abnormal & normal-range personality domain-level traits and, for the first time, lower-order personality facets; we also examined internalizing symptoms.

Method: The study comprised 4 samples of community and student participants (N_total = 1,927), and examined the cross-sectional relations between self-reported conspiratorial ideation and measures of (1) the 6-factor model of general personality, (2) intellectual humility (IH), (3) traits relevant to certain personality disorder features (narcissism, psychopathy, disinhibition), and (4) internalizing symptoms (depression, anxiety, anger).

Results: Agreeableness and conscientiousness were statistically-significant, albeit modest, negative correlates of conspiracy beliefs, although other general personality dimensions tended to manifest negligible associations. Significant associations between lower-order personality facets and conspiracy beliefs, not evident at the domain level, emerged. Indices of IH were statistically-significant negative correlates. Conspiracy beliefs were also associated with a range of personality disorder features and internalizing symptoms.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the nonclinical individual prone to conspiratorial ideation is somewhat likely to display a complex mixture of traits including distress, immodesty, impulsivity, and negative affect. Future research should investigate potential multiplicative relations among personological variables in predicting conspiracy beliefs.

[Keywords: conspiracy beliefs, conspiratorial ideation, internalizing, personality, personality disorders]

…HEXACO dimensions collectively accounted for an average 5% the variance in conspiracy beliefs. Across samples, specific HEXACO dimensions accounted for an average 6% (emotionality) to 29% (conscientiousness) of the variance in conspiracy beliefs.

IH [intellectual honesty] dimensions accounted for an average 7% of the variance in conspiracy beliefs. Specific IH dimensions accounted for an average 6% (LIHS) to 40% (CIHS Lack of Intellectual Overconfidence) of the variance in conspiracy beliefs.

Regarding abnormal personality features, PID-5 dimensions [Negative Affect, Detachment, Antagonism, Disinhibition, and Psychoticism] collectively accounted for an average 9% of the variance in conspiratorial ideation. Across samples, specific PID-5 dimensions accounted for an average 8% (negative affect) to 38% (psychoticism) of the variance in conspiratorial ideation.

Psychopathy traits collectively accounted for an average 7% of the variance in conspiratorial ideation. Across samples, psychopathy dimensions accounted for an average 8% (boldness) to 83% (disinhibition) of the variance in conspiracy beliefs.

Narcissism traits collectively accounted for an average 4% of the variance in conspiracy beliefs. Across, samples specific narcissism dimensions accounted for an average 27% (grandiose/exhibitionism) to 42% (entitlement/exploitativeness) of the variance in conspiracy beliefs.

Internalizing symptoms collectively accounted for an average 5% of the variance in conspiracy beliefs. Across samples, features of internalizing accounted for an average 3% (self-esteem, reversed) to 41% (depression) of the variance in conspiracy beliefs.

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