Tearing Apart the Social Fabric: How Do Conspiracy Beliefs, Tendency for Distinction and Distrust Relate to Political Engagement?

While conspiracy beliefs are often linked to democratic backsliding, their role in mobilizing or attenuating political engagement remains unclear. This study investigates the social realities of individuals who adhere to conspiracy beliefs, focusing on how their tendencies toward distinction and distrust associate with conspiracy beliefs to shape both normative and non-normative political engagement. A total of 712 participants completed self-report measures assessing their conspiracy beliefs (adherence to conspiracy theories, conspiracy mentality), tendencies for distinction (need for uniqueness, psychological reactance, collective narcissism), distrust (Dark Triad, paranoia, propensity to trust, institutional trust), and levels of normative and non-normative political engagement. Our findings indicate that the conspiracy beliefs, along with tendencies for distinction and distrust, provide only limited explanatory power for both normative and non-normative political engagement. Crucially, conspiracy beliefs exhibit a non-linear relationship with political engagement, underscoring the need for a more refined understanding of how conspiracy beliefs shape political behavior. Contrary to concerns about its radicalizing potential, our results suggest that conspiracy beliefs, despite being weaponized by populist politicians, do not necessarily translate into immediate or unlawful political action. Thus, our study challenges alarmist narratives and highlights the complexity of the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and political engagement.