Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Objectives Prior research has consistently demonstrated that victimization experiences impact both beliefs and motivations. At the same time, a substantial body of research on conspiracy beliefs has examined the role of indirect experiences with collective victimization and historical trauma in exacerbating such beliefs. Yet, the effect of general personal victimization experiences on conspiracy belief has been largely overlooked. Methods First, we provide a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between personal victimization experiences and conspiracy beliefs, while also outlining potential mediating factors. Second, we empirically assess our expectations using data from 1,715 participants based in the United States in the Longitudinal Hate Crime Victimization Survey-Pilot. Findings Results indicate a significant association between victimization experiences and conspiracy belief, such that victimization is robustly associated with increased conspiracy ideation. Mediation analyses suggest that this association is mediated by increased fear of crime, anger, in-group identification, and exacerbated outgroup attitudes, with outgroup attitudes being the strongest mediating mechanism. Conclusions Taken together, our findings provide important evidence for understanding conspiracy belief as a previously unexamined consequence of victimization, including the relevance of several mediating variables.
Hoover et al. (Tue,) studied this question.