Previous literature highlights the crucial role of economic inequality in triggering a range of negative societal outcomes. However, the relationship between economic inequality and the proliferation of conspiracy beliefs remains unexplored. Here, we explore the endorsement of conspiracy beliefs as an outcome of objective country-level (Study 1a, 1b, 1c), perceived (Study 2), and manipulated economic inequality (Studies 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b). In the correlational studies, both objective and perceived economic inequality were associated with greater conspiracy beliefs. In the experiments, participants in the high (compared to the low) inequality condition were more likely to endorse conspiratorial narratives. This effect was fully mediated by anomie (Studies 3a, 3b) suggesting that inequality enhances the perception that society is breaking down (anomie), which in turn increases conspiratorial thinking, possibly in an attempt to regain some sense of order and control. Furthermore, the link between economic inequality and conspiracy beliefs was stronger when participants endorsed a conspiracy worldview (Studies 4a, 4b). Moreover, conspiracy beliefs mediated the effect of the economic inequality manipulation on willingness to engage in collective action aimed at addressing economic inequality. The results show that economic inequality and conspiracy beliefs go hand in hand: economic inequality can cause conspiratorial thinking and conspiracy beliefs can motivate collective action against economic inequality.

先前的文献强调了经济不平等在引发一系列负面社会结果方面的关键作用。然而，经济不平等与阴谋信仰泛滥之间的关系仍未得到探索。在这里，我们探讨了作为客观国家层面（研究 1a、1b、1c）、感知（研究 2）和操纵的经济不平等（研究 3a、3b、4a、4b）的结果的阴谋信念的认可。在相关研究中，客观的和感知到的经济不平等都与更大的阴谋信念有关。在实验中，高度（与低）不平等条件下的参与者更有可能认可阴谋论。这种影响完全由失范（研究 3a、3b）介导，这表明不平等增强了社会正在瓦解（失范）的看法，这反过来又增加了阴谋思维，可能是为了重新获得某种秩序感和控制感。此外，当参与者认可阴谋论世界观时，经济不平等与阴谋论信念之间的联系更加紧密（研究 4a、4b）。此外，阴谋信念调节了经济不平等操纵对参与旨在解决经济不平等的集体行动的意愿的影响。结果表明，经济不平等和阴谋信念是相辅相成的：经济不平等会导致阴谋思维，阴谋信念可以激发反对经济不平等的集体行动。当参与者认可阴谋论世界观时，经济不平等与阴谋论信念之间的联系会更加紧密（研究 4a、4b）。此外，阴谋信念调节了经济不平等操纵对参与旨在解决经济不平等的集体行动的意愿的影响。结果表明，经济不平等和阴谋信念是相辅相成的：经济不平等会导致阴谋思维，阴谋信念可以激发反对经济不平等的集体行动。当参与者认可阴谋论世界观时，经济不平等与阴谋论信念之间的联系会更加紧密（研究 4a、4b）。此外，阴谋信念调节了经济不平等操纵对参与旨在解决经济不平等的集体行动的意愿的影响。结果表明，经济不平等和阴谋信念是相辅相成的：经济不平等会导致阴谋思维，阴谋信念可以激发反对经济不平等的集体行动。