Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
Moral foundations, worldviews, moral absolutism and belief in conspiracy theories
Luigi Leone1, Mauro Giacomantonio1, Marco Lauriola1
1Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
In the present research, we examined whether individual differences in basic moral concerns might be related to a greater endorsement of conspiracy theories. Building on the notion that conspiracy theories often deal with super-individual relevant events in which a group perspective is central, we proposed that individual differences in moral concerns pertaining to group- and community-concerns (i.e., binding moral foundations) rather than to individual well-being (i.e., individualising moral foundations) would be positively associated with conspiracy beliefs. We further hypothesised that such relations would be totally mediated by beliefs in a dangerous world and by embracing moral absolutism. We found support for these predictions in two community samples (Ns: 319; 514). Theoretical implications were discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal...
Fundamental Attribution Error
Group Polarization
Correspondence Bias
Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory
Ethics and Bioethics

