Abstract
This research investigates the cognitive mechanisms linking health-related existential threats to conspiracy beliefs within a Chinese context. Study 1 (N = 199) demonstrated that the relationship between perceived existential threats and outgroup conspiracy beliefs is mediated by hypersensitive agency detection through an experimental manipulation involving a monkeypox virus threat. Studies 2a (N = 198) and 2b (N = 200) revealed that illusory pattern perception also mediates this relationship. In Study 3 (N = 278, using a manipulation of threatening information about genetically modified foods) and in Study 4 (N = 296, using information about Japan's discharge of nuclear sewage), both hypersensitive agency detection and illusory pattern perception mediated this relationship. Additional mini-meta-analyses further corroborated these findings. We conclude that the effects of existential threats on outgroup conspiracy beliefs are mediated by hypersensitive agency detection and illusory pattern perception.
Keyword
Crisis, existential threat, hypersensitive agency detection, illusory pattern perception, outgroup conspiracy theories
引用本文：Mao, J.-Y., Zeng, Z.-X., Yang, S.-L., Guo, Y.-Y., Wang, B., & van Prooijen, J.-W. (2025). Why Existential Threats Increase Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence for the Mediating Roles of Agency Detection and Pattern Perception. British Journal of Psychology, 00, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.70016
编辑 | 人格与社会课题组徐前
