The effect of thinking styles on belief in conspiracy theories in the context of Covid-19

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between cognitive style (analytical vs. intuitive), illusory pattern perception, and belief in conspiracy theories within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. To supplement extant research that has primarily focused on the impact of analytical thinking on beliefs in conspiracy theories, we employed a unique approach by manipulating intuitive thinking. Participants were instructed to respond to both general and Covid-19 conspiracy questions under conditions of time pressure (to induce intuitive thinking), time delay (to induce analytical thinking), or no time constraints. The findings indicate that individuals who were prompted to provide intuitive responses within a limited timeframe are more inclined to believe in Covid-19 conspiracy theories, whereas this effect was not observed for general conspiracy beliefs. Additionally, the tendency to perceive illusory patterns moderated the relationship between thinking styles and conspiracy beliefs. Higher illusory pattern perception led to higher beliefs in conspiracies among participants under time pressure.