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The Association Between the Dark Triad and Political Trust: The Mediating Role of Conspiracy Beliefs

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  • Marco Giancola

    (Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Giulia D’Aurizio

    (Department of Communication Sciences, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy)

  • Matteo Perazzini

    (Department of Life, Health, and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Danilo Bontempo

    (Department of Life, Health, and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Massimiliano Palmiero

    (Department of Communication Sciences, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy)

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of conspiracy beliefs in the association between the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and political trust. A sample of 212 participants (mean age = 31.83 years; SD age = 13.85 years; 106 females) completed self-report measures assessing the Dark Triad, conspiracy beliefs across five domains (government malfeasance, malevolent global conspiracies, extraterrestrial cover-up, personal well-being, and control of information), and political trust. Mediation analyses revealed that government malfeasance, malevolent global conspiracies, and control of information significantly mediated the association between the Dark Triad and political trust. These findings clarify the psychological mechanisms linking malevolent and antagonistic personality traits to institutional distrust, underscoring the pivotal role of specific conspiracy beliefs in shaping political attitudes. Beyond advancing theoretical understanding, the results suggest that interventions aimed at reducing susceptibility to conspiracy beliefs may help counteract personality-driven erosion of political trust. Limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Giancola & Giulia D’Aurizio & Matteo Perazzini & Danilo Bontempo & Massimiliano Palmiero, 2025. "The Association Between the Dark Triad and Political Trust: The Mediating Role of Conspiracy Beliefs," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-11, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:9:p:512-:d:1732660
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