Paranormal belief, conspiracy endorsement, and positive wellbeing: a network analysis
📄 Original study ↗Plain English Summary
Believing in ghosts and believing in conspiracy theories might seem like two sides of the same coin, but this study of over 1,600 UK adults says not so fast. Using network analysis (a method that maps how psychological traits connect), researchers found these beliefs relate to wellbeing quite differently. Paranormal believers tended to feel their lives had meaning, while conspiracy endorsers reported lower life satisfaction without that benefit. The standout finding? Self-esteem was a crucial bridge connecting healthy coping, purpose, and satisfaction. This challenges the old assumption that paranormal belief signals faulty thinking. When paired with solid self-esteem, it may actually serve a genuinely adaptive, meaning-making role.
Research Notes
Challenges the common practice of grouping paranormal belief with conspiracy thinking by demonstrating they have distinct wellbeing profiles. Key library contribution: supports an adaptive-function view of paranormal belief when paired with healthy self-esteem, contrasting the deficit model. Funded by the BIAL Foundation.
Using network analysis (EBICglasso) on a cross-sectional survey of 1,667 UK adults, interrelationships between paranormal belief (PB), conspiracy theory endorsement (CT), schizotypy, and positive wellbeing factors were examined. PB and Self-Esteem emerged as the two most central nodes. PB linked most strongly with CT (r = 0.60), cognitive-perceptual schizotypy (r = 0.56), search for meaning (r = 0.42), and avoidant coping (r = 0.40). Though correlated, PB and CT related differently to wellbeing: PB correlated positively with presence of meaning while CT did not, and CT correlated negatively with life satisfaction while PB did not. PB appeared to mediate relationships between schizotypy, meaning-seeking, and avoidant coping, while self-esteem bridged coping, meaning in life, and life satisfaction.
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📋 Cite this paper
Dagnall, Neil, Drinkwater, Kenneth Graham, Denovan, Andrew, Escolá Gascón, Alex (2025). Paranormal belief, conspiracy endorsement, and positive wellbeing: a network analysis. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1448067
@article{dagnall_2025_paranormal_belief_conspiracy,
title = {Paranormal belief, conspiracy endorsement, and positive wellbeing: a network analysis},
author = {Dagnall, Neil and Drinkwater, Kenneth Graham and Denovan, Andrew and Escolá Gascón, Alex},
year = {2025},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychology},
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1448067},
}