Sense of control and conspiracy perceptions: Generative directions on a well-worn path

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Sense of control is a psychological construct linked to conspiracy beliefs.
• Existing research often conflates sense of control with related concepts like uncertainty and powerlessness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent research on the sense of control and conspiracy perceptions.
• To identify challenges and new directions in understanding this relationship.
• To clarify the boundary conditions and specific types of conspiracy beliefs influenced by sense of control.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent psychological research.
• Analysis of studies distinguishing sense of control from confounding variables.
• Examination of experimental and natural experiment methodologies.
• Consideration of moderating factors and prediction of specific conspiracy beliefs.

Main Results:

• Sense of control is distinct from uncertainty, threat, and powerlessness.
• Experimental manipulation of sense of control has limitations; natural experiments are increasingly used.
• The relationship between sense of control and conspiracy perceptions is moderated by specific conditions.

Conclusions:

• Precisely defining sense of control is crucial for understanding its cognitive effects.
• Future research should focus on boundary conditions and specific conspiracy types.
• This review integrates findings to guide future research on sense of control and cognition.