“They will not control us”: In-group positivity and belief in intergroup conspiracies.

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Cichocka, Aleksandra; Marchlewska, Marta; Golec de Zavala, Agnieszka and Olechowski, Mateusz. 2015. “They will not control us”: In-group positivity and belief in intergroup conspiracies. British Journal of Psychology, 107, pp. 566-576. ISSN 0007-1250 [Article]

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Official URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjop.12...

Abstract or Description

This research examined the role of different forms of positive regard for the ingroup in predicting beliefs in intergroup conspiracies. Collective narcissism reflects a belief in ingroup greatness contingent on others’ recognition. We hypothesized that collective narcissism should be especially likely to foster outgroup conspiracy beliefs. Non-narcissistic ingroup positivity, on the other hand, should predict a weaker tendency to believe in conspiracy theories. In Study 1, the endorsement of conspiratorial explanations of outgroup actions was positively predicted by collective narcissism but negatively by non-narcissistic ingroup positivity. Study 2 showed that the opposite effects of collective narcissism and non-narcissistic ingroup positivity on conspiracy beliefs were mediated via differential perceptions of threat. Study 3 manipulated whether conspiracy theories implicated ingroup or outgroup members. Collective narcissism predicted belief in outgroup conspiracies but not in ingroup conspiracies, while non-narcissistic ingroup positivity predicted lower conspiracy beliefs, regardless of them being ascribed to the ingroup or the outgroup.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12158

Additional Information:

Polish National Science Centre. Grant Number: DEC-2011/01/B/HS6/04637