Conspiracy beliefs have been linked to perceptions of collective victimhood. We adopt an individual perspective on victimhood by investigating the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and the individual disposition to perceive and react to injustice as a victim, i.e., victim justice sensitivity (VJS). Data from two German samples (Ns = 370, 373) indicated a positive association between VJS and conspiracy mentality beyond conceptually related covariates (e.g., mistrust). In a multinational sample from 15 countries (N = 14,978), VJS was positively associated with both general and specific conspiracy beliefs (about vaccines and climate change) within countries, though these associations varied across countries. However, economic, sociopolitical and cultural country-level factors that might explain the cross-country variability (e.g., GDP, Human Freedom Index, individualism-collectivism), including indices of collective exposure to direct violence, did not moderate the studied associations. Future research should investigate the relationship between victimhood and conspiracy beliefs, considering both intraindividual and intergroup perspectives.
Antisemitism and hostility toward Israel reliably co-occur, causing some to regard opposition to Israel as the "new antisemitism," a socially acceptable way to express an ancient prejudice. Others dismiss new antisemitism as a specious rhetorical tactic used to shame and silence earnest critics of Israel. Three preregistered studies addressed this issue. Study 1 (N = 373) found that Time 1 antisemitism predicted Time 2 anti-Israel attitudes via conspiracy beliefs about Israel and Zionists. We named this pattern the "Conspiracies Mediated Model of New Antisemitism." Study 2 (N = 243) cross-sectionally assessed the distinct mediational roles of anti-Israel conspiracies (Israel conspiring for itself), Zionist conspiracies (Jews conspiring for Israel), and Jewish-related conspiracies (Jews conspiring in ways unrelated to Israel). Conspiracies implicating Israel and Zionists again mediated the association between antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes, but those related to Jews qua Jews did not. Study 3 (N = 493), using a three-time-point longitudinal design, showed that conspiracies related to Israel and Zionists, but not to Jews qua Jews, positively mediate the predictive relationship between antisemitism and anti-Israel beliefs. Across studies, the Conspiracies Mediated Model of New Antisemitism accounted for over 55% of the variance in anti-Israel attitudes-a substantial effect. Results were not due to a general conspiratorial mindset. Democrats, compared to Republicans, expressed less antisemitism but stronger anti-Israel attitudes and greater endorsement of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist conspiracies. These studies confirm that the relationship between antisemitism and anti-Israel hostility is reliable, predictive, and substantial, and that it is mediated by anti-Israel and anti-Zionist conspiracy beliefs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of cervical cancer, with Africa bearing a significant disease burden. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, superstitions and misinformation hinder HPV vaccine uptake, contributing to high mortality rates. This scoping review examines superstitious beliefs and misconceptions surrounding HPV and its vaccine in Africa, their cultural and social underpinnings, and their impact on public health interventions. Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, this review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and systematically analyzed literature obtained from nine databases. Seventeen studies, involving 2516 participants from seven African countries, met the inclusion criteria. We analyzed the data using thematic synthesis, and patterns such as superstitions, community narratives, and vaccine hesitancy were identified. Findings indicate widespread misconceptions, including beliefs that HPV is caused by curses, exposure to sunlight, or spiritual forces. Superstitions that link HPV vaccination to infertility, chronic diseases, and depopulation conspiracies are prevalent. Traditional and religious leaders played a critical role in shaping public perception, perpetuating mistrust in HPV vaccines. Superstitions reduce HPV vaccine acceptance and increase cervical cancer risks. Targeted health education, community engagement, and culturally sensitive interventions are crucial to dispelling myths and improving vaccine uptake in Africa.
We investigate whether a stable predisposition to interpret events as the result of conspiracies-conspiracism-is associated with the spontaneous generation of conspiratorial content in writing when interpreting ambiguous information. Across two studies (N = 385), participants watched the apocalyptic thriller Leave the World Behind and wrote an essay interpreting its meaning. Each essay was rated by a Large Language Model for its conspiratorial narrative content, that is, the degree to which the text contains claims that the public is being pervasively lied to about aspects of reality, enabling some groups to enact a harmful, self-serving agenda. Contrary to our preregistered hypothesis, we did not find an association between participants' conspiracism and their essays' level of conspiratorial narrative content. Exploratory linguistic analyses revealed that conspiracism was associated with greater use of conspiracy-related vocabulary (e.g., deception, government), a disproportionate use of sophisticated words, and increased syntactic complexity. These results suggest that conspiracism may emerge more readily at the lexical level rather than through fully structured narratives. We discuss potential methodological and theoretical factors contributing to these unexpected results, including the roles of context, perceived relevance, motivation, and collective social dynamics. We also consider the possibility that conspiracism may not directly translate into conspiratorial narratives. If so, we recommend comparative research on online vs offline conspiratorial writing to clarify whether conspiracy theories emerge spontaneously from genuine beliefs or are constructed strategically, detached from genuinely held beliefs.
This study examines how scientific literacy dimensions-nature of science understanding, scientific reasoning, positive beliefs about science, and interest in science-are related to willingness to participate in medical research, mediated by conspiracy beliefs about and trust in medical researchers. Survey data were collected from a sample of 600 Slovaks recruited via an online panel. Regression-based mediation analysis revealed that positive beliefs about science and interest in science exhibited total and indirect associations with willingness to participate in medical research. By contrast, nature of science understanding and scientific reasoning were related to willingness to participate in medical research only indirectly. The indirect pathways of all scientific literacy dimensions operated through conspiracy beliefs about and trust in medical researchers, with trust showing the strongest positive association with willingness to participate in medical research. These findings highlight that the association between scientific literacy and willingness to participate in medical research is rather complex, mediated by beliefs about medical researchers. Addressing these beliefs alongside scientific literacy promotion may enhance public willingness to participate in medical research.
This article reviews the historical contributions of psychological scholarship on antisemitism, identifies theoretical traditions that emerged directly from this work, and analyzes the social, methodological, and conceptual factors that contributed to its temporary marginalization. We then synthesize contemporary research that has revitalized the field, including work on memory-defensive antisemitism, conspiracy mentality, intergroup threat, and the psychological dynamics underlying anti-Zionist expressions of antisemitism. By integrating classical and contemporary perspectives, the article argues that antisemitism constitutes a theoretically distinctive form of prejudice that challenges standard models of stereotyping, power, and minority status. The introduction concludes by outlining the aims of the present special issue and highlighting key directions for future psychological research on antisemitism in an era of democratic fragility, digital misinformation, and renewed intergroup violence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Despite a wealth of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy research, few researchers have measured post-COVID-19 vaccine regret or its associations with other health-related attitudes and behaviors. To measure participants' COVID-19 vaccination status, the prevalence of post-vaccination regret, and associated health-related attitudes and intentions. Online national survey in April (n = 2,036) and an online national longitudinal survey in June-July 2024 (n = 1,454). US adults aged 18 and older. The primary outcome is a three-item measure of COVID-19 vaccine regret. Approximately 15% of US respondents who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, consistent across surveys, expressed regret. Regret was negatively associated with vaccine-related behavioral intentions and with social and institutional trust. Vaccine regret was positively associated with a desire to discourage others from vaccinating, support for anti-vaccine politicians, and beliefs in health-related conspiracy theories. Individuals who had been required to be vaccinated were more likely to regret vaccination than those who were not, though this effect is isolated to respondents who would not have vaccinated otherwise. Vaccine regret is associated with numerous health-related beliefs and behaviors. To prevent the social contagion of regret, public health institutions should consider messaging campaigns targeting the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated. Public health researchers should be wary of using vaccine status as a proxy for hesitancy or future intentions, as regret may deter vaccinated individuals from future vaccinations.
Does the source and distinctiveness of misinformation in social media posts affect its believability? Across two studies, we examine this question utilizing vignette experimental survey designs that manipulated the source, accuracy of information, and whether the information was familiar or distinctive (unfamiliar). Four different topics with different political or moral positions were used to assess how effects varied across topics. True posts were found to be more believable than misinformation posts across the four topics in Study one (n = 595). In study two (n = 514), misinformation was rated as more believable, more accurate, and more trustworthy if it was unfamiliar rather than familiar. Source effects were significant but smaller than the distinctiveness effect. Posts from the source of authority were rated as more believable than those from a friend. Distinctive messages receive initial assessments of higher credibility, suggesting a heuristic process. However, the personally relevant topic of COVID, showed higher believability for unfamiliar misinformation, but also a higher percentage intending to verify the information through additional research. Those supporting more conservative views perceived misinformation as more believable. These findings are consistent with the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Vaccine hesitancy is a growing concern in public health. Since its introduction, Black/African Americans have been less likely to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine despite the alarming death rate observed for this community. Past studies on vaccine hesitancy have placed an emphasis on the role of parental decision-making in their child's vaccination. In this study, we explore how the role of racial identity contributes to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black/African American adults, as a foundational step prior to tailored intervention development. We administered a survey to a convenience sample of 501 Black/African American individuals in Detroit. Random forest models were built to predict vaccine hesitancy using demographics, racial factors, perceived vaccine risk, and perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 (COVID-19 risk). We observed eight important variables predictive of vaccine hesitancy including perceived vaccine risk, trait reactance, age, vaccine actual knowledge score, perceived COVID risk, conspiracy theories, racial consciousness, and racial fairness. The prediction accuracy of these eight variables combined was high, achieving an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.87, a sensitivity of 75%, and a specificity of 89%. In this convenience sample of Black/African Americans, racial variables, among other factors, were associated with vaccine hesitancy. Given that tailored interventions have shown promise in behavior change, results suggest that these variables may be effective in targeting the concerns of Black/African American adults contemplating receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Background/Objectives: In Palliative Care (PC), the communication is an essential aspect of care becoming particularly significant at the end-of-life. In neurodegenerative diseases, communication involves additional complexity due to prolonged disease trajectories, early cognitive decline, and frequent loss of decision-making capacity. The aim of this study was to explore PC healthcare professionals' experiences with communication process and relational dynamics involving families of patients with advanced and terminal neurogenerative disease. Methods: The study design was qualitative, using semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis. Participants were healthcare professionals directly involved in communication with the family. Results: Twenty PC professionals were interviewed, generating 792 coded excerpts. Four themes emerged: (1) Navigating PC in neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting shift from oncology-centred palliative models toward neuropalliative care, with distinctive relational challenges; (2) Navigating conversations between professionals and families, describing multidisciplinary communication, core clinical and emotional topics, and goal-oriented decision-making in contexts of impaired patient capacity; (3) Facing challenges in health care professional-family communication, including conspiracy of silence, absence of Advance Treatment Directives (ATD) or Shared Care Planning (SCP), and limited collaboration with neurologists; and (4) Envisioning methods for improvement, emphasizing the need for disease-specific competencies, advanced relational skills, interprofessional coordination, and support for professionals' emotional wellbeing. Conclusions: Communication in neurodegenerative palliative care is an ongoing relational and interpretative process requiring professionals to mediate uncertainty, surrogate decision-making, and caregiver burden. Strengthening disease-specific communication skills, early integrated PC, and structured interprofessional collaboration may enhance shared decision-making, caregiver support, and care continuity.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of protective behaviours-such as mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and physical distancing-in managing public health crises. Understanding the factors that influence these behaviours is essential for improving preparedness and response in future health crises. This umbrella review aimed to synthesize evidence on determinants of protective behaviours during pandemics and to provide recommendations for policy and practice. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted an umbrella review of peer-reviewed literature reviews and meta-analyses published up to June 2025. Searches in Epistemonikos, MEDLINE, and Scopus targeted reviews on "protective behaviours" and "COVID-19", including other infectious diseases. Eligibility criteria followed the Population-Concept-Context framework: general population, multifactorial determinants of protective behaviours, and pandemic contexts. Data extraction was performed in a table that included review characteristics, behavioural domains (general compliance, medical interventions, open dialogue promotion, information handling, hygiene, physical distancing, and other behaviours), and factor valence. We conducted a narrative synthesis organizing factors by sociodemographic, personal, and social-environmental categories, with valence classification based on consistency of findings across reviews. Quality appraisal used the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. From 86 records identified, 11 met inclusion criteria, covering COVID-19 and other diseases (e.g., H1N1, SARS, MERS, Ebola). Quality scores averaged 8.8/10. Protective behaviours were influenced by three categories of factors: (1) sociodemographic (age, gender, education, socio-economic status) (2), personal (perceptions, beliefs, trust in authorities and science, political orientation) and (3) social/environmental (access to protective materials, social norms, community support, health education and communication, policies). Enabling factors included trust in credible sources, perceived effectiveness of measures, and multimodal communication. Barriers comprised misinformation, conspiracy beliefs, and resource inaccessibility. Some factors (e.g., age, gender, education) showed inconsistent effects across behaviours. Findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive messaging, transparent communication, and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations. This umbrella review identifies multi-level determinants of protective behaviours to inform pandemic preparedness. It highlights the need for transparent communication through trusted channels, culturally adapted messaging, equitable access to protective resources, and targeted interventions for low-engagement groups. Integrating these determinants early may enhance population-level adherence. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023467236.
Understanding which posts spark conversation, and how large those conversations grow, is vital for moderation, resource allocation, and anticipating information cascades on Reddit and other social platforms. We study discussion initiation and growth on Reddit by modelling whether a root post receives any comments and how large the resulting thread becomes. Using reconstructed threads from r/politics, r/CryptoCurrency, and r/Conspiracy, we extract compact textual, semantic, temporal, domain, and author features from each post. We train subreddit-specific classifiers with small, transparent feature sets and use SHAP for interpretation. Across communities, the external domain a post links to, and, in news ecosystems, the domain's centrality, consistently emerge as predictors of both the start and scale of discussion. Author activity is also predictive: posts from highly active users are more likely to receive comments. Simple textual cues help too: longer subjects and fewer question marks are associated with a higher likelihood of eliciting replies. Community context moderates these effects: in r/politics, linking familiar mid-tier but well-connected news sources is associated with larger threads, while the r/Conspiracy and r/CryptoCurrency communities prefer novel sources. Predicting whether a discussion will start is notably easier than forecasting its eventual size, as adjacent size classes are often confounded. Still, a concise, interpretable feature set captures a substantial proportion of the predictive signal. Our results suggest practical applications for triage: flagging posts likely to trigger substantial discussion could support targeted, pre-emptive moderation and fact-checking without relying on complex, opaque models.
The global outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has drawn significant attention due to its unexpected spread beyond endemic regions, including countries in the Middle East. However, public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward the disease in this region remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, levels of worry, conspiracy beliefs, and vaccine acceptance regarding mpox among adults in the Middle East. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using purposive and snowball sampling methods. A total of 318 participants aged 18 years and above were recruited from outpatient departments and through social media platforms. The survey instrument included three sections: sociodemographic characteristics; knowledge, attitudes, and worry about mpox; and conspiracy beliefs and vaccine acceptance. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, applying descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analysis. Nearly half of the participants (47.48%) demonstrated limited knowledge of mpox. Younger adults showed comparatively lower knowledge levels and higher levels of worry than older age groups. Overall, positive attitudes toward mpox prevention were more prevalent than negative attitudes. However, conspiracy beliefs were notably present, particularly among younger participants. Vaccine acceptance was moderate, with 77.36% of respondents expressing neutral to positive attitudes toward vaccination. The findings indicate a significant knowledge gap and the presence of misinformation, particularly among younger adults. The results highlight gaps in public knowledge, mixed attitudes, and moderate vaccine acceptance regarding mpox in the Middle East. The presence of conspiracy beliefs underscores the importance of targeted public health strategies to improve awareness and combat misinformation. Strengthening educational and awareness campaigns is essential to enhance preparedness and response to potential future outbreaks.
Conspiracy beliefs have long been a recurring feature of human society; however, when they target disadvantaged groups, such as the LGBTQ+ people, they represent a particularly harmful phenomenon with detrimental consequences. Despite the increasing interest in the phenomenon, research to date has often overlooked the influence of an individual social environment. Indeed, recent evidence highlighted that individuals who experience limited social integration might be more vulnerable to adopting a conspiratorial mentality. In this regard, social isolation may represent a possible trigger, fuelling epistemic uncertainty and existential anxiety, and enhancing susceptibility to anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs. Hence, the current study (N = 820) investigated whether individuals who experience heightened levels of perceived social isolation are more likely to report high levels of anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs endorsement via an enhanced conspiratorial mentality. Results were in line with our expectations, pointing out positive associations between perceived social isolation and conspiracy beliefs, both directly and indirectly, as a function of greater levels of conspiracy mentality. Therefore, an individual's social isolation may represent a promising approach to highlighting the factors that produce fertile ground for the endorsement of anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy beliefs and may represent a promising aspect for identifying potential pathways for intervention and prevention.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges posed by the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, exacerbating societal polarization and institutional distrust. Understanding how misinformation and disinformation is understood and framed in public discourse is essential to developing strategies for building societal resilience and promoting informed decision-making during crises. This study explores the use of the terms misinformation and disinformation across Swiss public discourse during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining their framing within newspaper articles and social media interactions. The findings aim to inform policymakers and journalists or communicators on mitigating the societal impact of misinformation and disinformation through the promotion of a common understanding of the terms misinformation and disinformation. We analyzed 2 datasets using a natural language processing pipeline, including lemmatization, co-occurrence analysis, and semantic network mapping: media articles retrieved via Factiva and social media posts collected via CrowdTangle. The framing of misinformation and disinformation varied significantly across the datasets. News media highlighted its role in shaping public sentiment, often discussing the tension between journalistic integrity and the amplification of falsehoods. Social media exhibited polarized narratives, with discussions centered on conspiracy theories, distrust in institutions, and grassroots mobilization. Diverging narratives on the very concepts of misinformation and disinformation across public discourse reflect broader societal tensions. Robust journalistic integrity in the media and resilience strategies against misinformation and disinformation involving empowering publics through information literacy approaches are critical to bridging divides and reducing polarization.
Conspiracy theories threaten Western societies' cohesion and democracy. Yet, little is known about who might be vulnerable to conspiracy-motivated violent radicalization, which is essential for effective prevention. The first aim of this study was to identify profiles of cognitive and behavioral violent radicalization tendencies and COVID-19 conspiracy exposure and belief among a sample of Dutch youth (N = 593, 16 to 26-years-old) drawn during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim was to describe the identified profiles based on risk factor presence. Latent-profile analyses identified four profiles. Most individuals belonged to the general population profile (64%) characterized by low levels of cognitive and behavioral violent radicalization, as well as low levels of COVID-19 conspiracy exposure and belief. The experimenters (20%), violent-risk (8%), and conspiracist (7%) profiles displayed higher levels of these constructs. Results revealed that micro- and meso-level risk factors were most pronounced in the violent-risk profile, which exhibited the highest levels of behavioral violent radicalization. For people in the conspiracist profile with higher levels of COVID-19 conspiracy belief, micro-level risk factors, specifically police illegitimacy and perceived personal discrimination were important, demonstrating the importance of fairness and justice during political decision-making. Overall, integrating evidence-based strategies for anti-crime interventions into anti-radicalization efforts may help curb violently radical behavior (Jugl et al., Monatsschrift Fur Kriminologie Und Strafrechtsreform, 1-16. 2021a). The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10610-025-09634-z.
This dataset was collected during the UEFA EURO football championship in 2024. It provides match-contingent experience sampling data, including (a) individual-level variables such as life satisfaction, (b) interpersonal variables such as prosocial intent, and (c) broader societal variables such as political trust. The data points are nested in a sample of N = 1,012 individuals from five countries (England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland). Using an event-sampling method with four to eight measurement waves (depending on how far the national team progressed in the tournament), we captured time-sensitive fluctuations in a total of m = 30 variables in response to the national team's objective (i.e., win, draw, loss) and perceived success. In addition, the dataset contains moderating variables including Big-5 personality traits, conspiracy and free-will beliefs, or alcohol consumption and betting behaviors, and detailed match-specific data (e.g., shots on target, yellow cards, attendance). Our data descriptor portrays the methodological approach, data collection procedures, and available variables, and outlines how the data may be used for future research.
HIV disparities among U.S. Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) persist alongside lower PrEP use. We examined correlates of PrEP cascade outcomes among 287 cisgender immigrant LMSM. PrEP conspiracy beliefs were negatively associated with HIV testing (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.59-0.99, p=.04); knowing a PrEP user was positively associated (OR = 3.09, CI: 1.81-5.28, p<.0001). PrEP readiness was associated with positive PrEP attitudes (belief: OR = 2.23, CI: 1.51-3.30, p<.0001; plan: OR = 1.86, CI: 1.13-3.06, p=.02), multiple sexual partners (belief: OR = 2.06, CI: 1.02-4.16, p=.04; plan: OR = 2.25, CI: 1.04-4.87, p=.04), knowing a PrEP user (belief: OR = 4.18, CI: 2.10-8.32, p<.0001; plan: OR = 3.78, CI: 1.43-10.03, p=.008), and internalized sexual orientation stigma (plan: OR = 1.78, CI: 1.11-2.85, p=.02). Positive PrEP attitudes (OR = 1.59, CI: 1.17-2.18, p=.004) and lower barriers (OR = 0.70, CI: 0.52-0.95, p=.02) were associated with increased PrEP use, and medical mistrust (OR = 2.95, CI: 1.32-6.58, p=.008) with nonadherence. Las disparidades relacionadas con el VIH entre hombres latinos que tienen sexo con hombres (LMSM, por sus siglas en inglés) en los Estados Unidos persisten y se relacionan con un menor uso de la profilaxis preexposición (PrEP). Examinamos los correlatos de resultados a lo largo de la cascada de PrEP en una muestra de 287 LMSM inmigrantes cisgénero. Las creencias conspirativas sobre la PrEP se asociaron negativamente con la realización de la prueba de VIH (OR = 0.77, IC 95%: 0.59–0.99, p=.04); mientras que conocer a alguien que utiliza PrEP se asoció positivamente (OR = 3.09, IC: 1.81–5.28, p<.0001). La disposición para iniciar PrEP se asoció con actitudes positivas hacia la PrEP (creencia: OR = 2.23, IC: 1.51–3.30, p< .0001; plan: OR = 1.86, IC: 1.13–3.06, p=.02), tener múltiples parejas sexuales (creencia: OR = 2.06, IC: 1.02–4.16, p=.04; plan: OR = 2.25, IC: 1.04–4.87, p=.04), conocer a alguien que utiliza PrEP (creencia: OR = 4.18, IC: 2.10–8.32, p<.0001; plan: OR = 3.78, IC: 1.43–10.03, p=.008) y mayor estigma internalizado relacionado con la orientación sexual (plan: OR = 1.78, IC: 1.11–2.85, p=.02). Las actitudes positivas hacia la PrEP (OR = 1.59, IC: 1.17–2.18, p=.004) y la presencia de menores barreras para acceder a ella (OR = 0.70, IC: 0.52–0.95, p=.02) se asociaron con un mayor uso de la PrEP, mientras que la desconfianza médica (OR = 2.95, IC: 1.32–6.58, p=.008) se vinculó con la falta de adherencia.
The importance of examining human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine-related conspiratorial thinking and its effects has become more prominent amid the global increase in anti-vaccine activism. However, little is known about how conspiratorial thinking shapes vaccine-related outcomes and how these processes vary across sociocultural contexts. Using survey data from China (N = 619) and the United States (N = 600), this study distinguishes between conspiracy orientation and conspiracy attribution in the context of the HPV vaccine. We propose a serial mediation model involving active communication behaviors (ACBs) that explain how conspiratorial thinking leads to vaccine-related outcomes. Results showed that conspiracy attribution and ACBs sequentially mediated the negative relationship between vaccine conspiracy orientation and HPV vaccination recommendation among Chinese active-vulnerable publics, whereas the opposite pattern emerged among their U.S. counterparts. These cross-national differences emphasize the contextual nature of communication behaviors when publics are engaged in a quasi-problem-solving process. The findings offer both theoretical insights into conspiratorial information processing and practical implications for developing more tailored counter-conspiracy communication strategies.
Violent extremism in the context of conspiracy belief poses growing societal challenges, yet developmental pathways remain poorly understood. Shattered safety—a developmental state defined by bullying victimization, emotional distress, and distrust—may lead adolescents to view the world as unsafe and unfair, heightening susceptibility to conspiracy and extremist narratives. In this study, Growth Mixture Models were conducted to identify different trajectories of shattered safety throughout adolescence, as potential developmental pathway for conspiracy mentality and violent extremist attitudes in young adulthood. Participants were 1,482 adolescents from the ongoing longitudinal Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (~ 50% female). Data from five waves were included (ages: 13, 15, 17, 20, and 24-years-old). Results revealed three developmental trajectory groups. A small group of participants (3%) experienced shattered safety throughout adolescence, reflected in increasing levels of bullying victimization, emotional distress and distrust, and this related to higher conspiracy mentality and violent extremist attitudes at age 24. Overall, these findings illustrate the importance of considering developmental factors to safeguard against harmful narratives, calling for a public health-oriented approach that promotes adolescent safety and wellbeing. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10964-026-02350-9.