I have provided an explanation of a large-scale study that scientifically elucidates the psychology of 'people prone to believing in conspiracy theories.'

'Vaccines contain microchips'—don't you have someone around you who seriously believes stories like this? Conspiracy theories are spreading on social media and even in medical settings. But in fact, there is a scientific answer to 'what kind of people are prone to believing them.' What the largest meta-analysis in history, integrating 170 studies and approximately 160,000 people, revealed were some surprising psychological traits. The idea that 'providing information will solve it' is a big mistake. Hidden behind the belief in conspiracy theories were much deeper factors.

Why this study is important

'Vaccines contain microchips,' 'COVID was planned'—these kinds of conspiracy theories are now issues that can no longer be ignored, both in medical settings and on social media.

This study is the largest analysis to date, integrating data from 170 studies and approximately 160,000 people, which scientifically elucidates 'what kind of people are prone to believing in conspiracy theories'.

What was investigated

The research team investigated 52 types of psychological traits associated with conspiratorial beliefs. Broadly categorized, they are:

📚 3 domains of 'motives'

1. Cognitive motives (wanting to understand the world)

   • Whether one thinks analytically or judges by intuition

   • Tolerance for complexity and ambiguity

   • Tendency to want to find patterns

2. Existential motives (wanting to be safe)

   • Sensitivity to anxiety and threats

   • Sense of control over life or situations

   • Existential anxiety

3. Social motives(wanting to connect with peers and protect oneself)

   • Trust in others

   • Sense of superiority for 'one's own group'

   • Perception of social threats

🧠 Personality and mental characteristics

• Personality traits (Big Five, etc.)

• Tendencies toward personality disorders

• Delusional tendencies, paranoia, hostility, etc.

Key findings: What was most strongly associated with conspiracy theories

🔴 Factors with particularly strong associations

1. Low trust(one of the most powerful factors)

• The less people trust the government, the media, experts, and others in general, the more prone they are to accepting conspiracy theories

2. Perception of social threats

• A strong sense that 'society is dangerous' and 'we are being attacked'

3. Intuitive and non-logical thinking style

• Not thinking analytically (conversely, people with strong logical thinking are less likely to believe in conspiracy theories)

• Reliance on intuition, such as 'it just feels that way'

• Tendency to find patterns in unrelated things (e.g., finding meaning in the shape of clouds)

4. Delusional tendencies

• Trying to read 'special meanings or messages' into things

• Strange experiences or beliefs that are somewhat detached from reality

5. Hostility and paranoia

• Suspicion and hostile views toward others

• The feeling that 'someone is trying to trap me'

📊 Looking at the numbers

The study uses an index called the correlation coefficient (r) to measure the strength of the association:

• Trust: r = around -.40 (the lower the trust, the more likely one is to believe in conspiracy theories)

• Paranoia: r = .28 to .42 (strong positive association)

• Perception of social threat: r = around .30

• Analytical thinking: r = -.14 to -.17 (the less analytical, the more prone to belief)

Overall, motivational and personality traits showed a 'moderate' association. In other words, while we can understand the tendencies of people who believe in conspiracy theories to some extent, we cannot simply conclude that 'they believe because they have this personality.'

Surprising findings

❌ Things that were not very related

• General personality traits (Big Five): Not as strongly associated as expected

• Simple 'anxiety': The perception of 'social threat' is more important than existential anxiety itself

⚠️ 'Conspiracy theories because one cannot tolerate uncertainty' is too simple

It is often said that 'because people cannot tolerate anxious and uncertain situations, they jump to simple explanations (conspiracy theories),' but this study found that this alone cannot explain it.

Rather, what is important is:

• Who you trust (a matter of trust)

• How you see the world (whether it is full of threats)

• How you think (logical or intuitive)

These are deeper cognitive and social factors.

Implications for medical settings and communication

💡 Practical Tips

1. Providing information alone is insufficient

• 'Teaching correct information' is rarely effective

• There are complex factors in the background, such as lack of trust, sense of threat, and thinking styles

2. Building a relationship of trust is paramount

• The factor that showed the strongest correlation in this study was 'trust'

• Without a relationship of trust, no accurate information can be accepted

3. Value a sense of security and control

• For those who feel a strong sense of threat, first provide a sense of security

• The feeling of being able to 'predict' and 'choose for oneself' is important

4. Understanding rather than confrontation

• Do not dismiss people who believe in conspiracy theories as 'crazy'

• An attitude of trying to understand the underlying anxiety, distrust, and sense of threat

🏥 Example of responding to vaccine hesitancy

❌ 'That is misinformation. Here is the correct information.' → Without a relationship of trust, it may conversely strengthen distrust.

⭕ 'I understand your concerns well. Let's think together about what options are available.' → Start with empathy, then build a relationship of trust.

Important Note

⚠️ Things not to misunderstand

1. 'Believing in conspiracy theories' does not equal 'mental illness'

• The correlation is 'moderate' = it does not apply to everyone

• Conspiracy theories are a phenomenon widely seen among the general public

• However, they may manifest more strongly in individuals with clinical-level psychopathology

2. This is a correlation, not causation

• Does 'distrust breed conspiracy theories'?

• Or does 'believing in conspiracy theories lead to distrust'?

• Or is it bidirectional? This study cannot determine that

3. It varies by culture and background

• Most research is Western, and it may differ in other cultural spheres, including Japan

Integrated understanding: What is a 'conspiratorial mindset'?

The authors summarize the psychology of being prone to conspiracy theories into three pillars:

1. 🌍 The world is full of threats (Perception of societal threats)

2. 🧩 Intuitive and illogical thinking (Pattern perception, delusional tendencies)

3. 😠 Hostile interpersonal stance (Distrust, hostility, sense of superiority)

When these are combined, the explanation of a 'conspiracy by invisible enemies' becomes attractive and easy to accept.

Future challenges

• Elucidation of causality: Longitudinal and experimental studies are needed

• Cross-cultural research: Verification in non-Western regions such as Japan

• Intervention research: Development of effective measures such as trust-building and cognitive training

Summary: From scientific understanding to dialogue

What this study teaches us is that conspiracy theories are not merely a problem of 'ignorance' or 'lack of information'.

In the background, there are complexly intertwined psychological factors such as lack of trust, sense of threat, and thinking style.

That is why, rather than one-sidedly 'forcing correct information' on others, an approach of building trust, empathizing with the other person's anxieties and concerns, and engaging in repeated dialogue is required.

This understanding should be useful in medical settings as well as in conversations with family and friends.

(I used the ChatGPT-5.1 paper reading navigator and Claude Sonnet 4.5)