Study Abstracts

This is a list of short summaries of studies that were recently published. If you want to learn more, you can read the entire study. I will add more abstracts regularly.

🛸 Why people with dark traits are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories

Dark traits refer to personality traits that are negative or malevolent. They are Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism (the dark tetrad). Past research has found that people who score higher in dark traits are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. This study has found that this is caused, in part, by their tendency to entertain odd beliefs (belief in supernatural phenomena or magic), to be fatalistic (to feel that they are not in control of their lives), and to distrust other people.

The Study: ‘Actors of the most fiendish character: Explaining the associations between the Dark Tetrad and conspiracist ideation’, Cameron S. Kay (2021)

🔮 Manifesting your success doesn’t seem to work

The researchers conducted a survey to determine how manifesters (people who believe in manifestation) think and if they were more likely to experience success. While manifesters were very confident in their ability to achieve big goals, they weren’t necessarily more successful. In fact, they were more likely to have experienced bankruptcy, to have been victims of fraud, and to have made risky investments (like cryptocurrencies).

The Study: “The Secret” to Success? The Psychology of Belief in Manifestation, Lucas J. Dixon et al. (2023)