Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20901/pm.63.2.05
The Dark Side of Belief: Personality, Conspiratorial Thinking and Mental Health*
Mirjana Tonković
orcid.org/0000-0002-9145-175X
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Ivana Hromatko
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Andrea Vranić
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Abstract
Conspiracy beliefs have gained increasing attention due to their potential psychological and societal impact. This study investigates whether the belief in conspiracy theories accounts for individual differences in mental health beyond what can be explained by demographics and personality traits. Data from a national quota sample panel (N = 690) was analyzed using hierarchical regression, which showed that demographics accounted for a small share of the variance in mental health. The inclusion of Dark Tetrad traits, particularly psychopathy and sadism, increased the portion of explained variance. Belief in global conspiracies, added in the final step, accounted for an additional, although modest, portion of the variance. Lower income, higher levels of psychopathy and sadism, and stronger conspiratorial thinking were associated with poorer mental health. These findings suggest conspiracy beliefs may function not just as ideologically relevant but also as a psychological risk factor, highlighting their relevance in public health efforts aimed at improving mental health.
Keywords
Conspiracy Beliefs; Mental Health; Dark Tetrad; Psychopathy; Sadism
Hrčak ID:
349749
URI
Publication date:
24.7.2026.
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