The Relationship between Belief in Conspiracy Theories and Political Apathy

Abstract

Conspiracy theories are the beliefs that play an important role in individuals’ decision-making, and studies indicate that they also have a significant effect on political behavior. The present study explores the relationships between belief in conspiracy theories, political powerlessness, and political apathy in an Iraqi sample (N =188) from a local community in which they have answered the study questionnaires. Belief in conspiracy theories has been linked to both political powerlessness and political apathy. Further analysis revealed that the relationship between belief in conspiracy theories and political apathy was mediated by political powerlessness. The findings suggest that conspiracy theories related with many political factors, the mediation model explained 30% of the variation in political apathy; other elements appear to contribute to it, also it appears that members of the research community have gravitated toward political apathy as a result of their sense of political powerlessness.