Does fulfilling a need for uniqueness decrease conspiracy theory endorsement?
| dc.contributor.advisor | Houlihan, Amy | |
| dc.contributor.author | Libretto, Carina | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Brouillard, Pamela J. | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Seidel, Steven | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-06-25T20:26:39Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-06-25T20:26:39Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2020-12 | |
| dc.description.abstract | With the recent increase of measles outbreaks, there has been a rising concern regarding anti-vaccination conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories are belief systems endorsed by some individuals in which powerful, malevolent groups work in secret to orchestrate world events. Research on conspiracy theories has increased in the past decade. Several scholars have examined a number of epistemic, existential, and social motivations for conspiracy theory endorsement. Others, to a lesser degree, have inspected individual factors such as analytical thinking styles and education. The current study hypothesized that fulfilling individuals’ need for uniqueness by providing bogus personality questionnaire feedback would result in decreased endorsement of conspiracy theories. Furthermore, those who receive bogus feedback indicating they lack uniqueness will be more likely to endorse conspiracy theories. Two hundred and seventeen students were recruited from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Participants completed a bogus personality questionnaire. After receiving either positive uniqueness feedback or negative uniqueness feedback, participants completed the Need for Uniqueness Scale, the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale-Short, and the Rational Experiential Inventory-short. Analyses revealed that manipulating participants’ need for uniqueness did not impact conspiracy theory endorsement. This may be because the manipulation of need for uniqueness was ineffective as bogus feedback may have been too specific or participants did not perceived feedback as accurate. | en_US |
| dc.description.college | College of Liberal Arts | en_US |
| dc.description.department | Psychology & Sociology | en_US |
| dc.format.extent | 47 pages | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/89700 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | en_US |
| dc.rights | This material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with its source. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the author and/or publisher. | en_US |
| dc.title | Does fulfilling a need for uniqueness decrease conspiracy theory endorsement? | en_US |
| dc.type | Text | en_US |
| dc.type.genre | Thesis | en_US |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Psychology | en_US |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Texas A & M University--Corpus Christi | en_US |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | en_US |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Arts | en_US |