Aug 04, 2026 15:15:00

Conspiracy theories can decrease overall life satisfaction, but they can also increase the meaning of life.

Previous research has shown that belief in conspiracy theories is linked not only to trust in the government and authority, but also to life satisfaction and mental health. Studies have been published exploring the impact of such conspiracy thinking on self-esteem, meaning in life, happiness, and life satisfaction.

Conspiratorial Beliefs and Well‐Being: How Cognitive Worldviews Shape Self‐Evaluation, Meaning, and Life Satisfaction Over Time - Denovan - 2026 - Applied Cognitive Psychology - Wiley Online Library

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acp.70222

The Impact of Conspiracy Thinking on Well-Being | Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/gaslighting-attachment-and-reality/202607/the-impact-of-conspiracy-thinking-on-well-being

A conspiracy theory is the belief that there is a group or organization operating secretly behind a particular event or situation. In recent years, the spread of social media has led to an increase in the rapid dissemination of conspiracy theories. A 2017 study of 5,645 adults in the United States revealed that approximately 26.7% supported some form of conspiracy theory.

Researchers at

Liverpool John Moores University in the UK published a paper in May 2026 on the psychological impact of conspiracy theories. In the paper, psychologist Andrew DeNovan and his colleagues explain that 'a core aspect of conspiracy theories is the attribution of major events or circumstances to organized, deliberate, and covert actions by powerful actors, challenging mainstream institutional narratives.'

Denovan and his team conducted a survey of 615 people aged 19 to 82 living in the UK, four times every two months for a total of approximately eight months. The research team continuously measured participants' tendencies to believe in conspiracy theories (conspiracy thinking), life satisfaction, optimism or pessimism, self-esteem, the degree to which they felt life had meaning, and their tendency to seek meaning in life.

The analysis revealed that the higher the level of conspiracy theory thinking, the stronger the pessimism and the lower the self-esteem. Furthermore, it was pointed out that this pessimism and low self-esteem led to a decrease in life satisfaction, and the research team concluded that 'conspiracy theory thinking may be one of the factors that lower life satisfaction.'

On the other hand, while pessimism and low self-esteem are usually associated with a 'low perception of meaning in life,' it appears that people with a high level of conspiracy theory thinking, while possessing pessimism and low self-esteem, had a high level of perception of meaning in life and a strong desire to seek meaning.

Based on these findings, the research team states that while conspiracy theories may decrease life satisfaction, they may also increase the sense that 'life has meaning' and the motivation to seek that meaning. Furthermore, it was shown that the impact of conspiracy theories on life satisfaction is not direct, but rather operates through interconnected cognitive and emotional processes that unfold over time, such as 'conspiracy theories increasing pessimism' and 'pessimism decreasing life satisfaction.'

Conspiracy theories may give some people a sense of understanding what's happening in the world and a feeling of belonging to a community that shares their views. Furthermore, because there have been actual conspiracy scandals in history, such as the Watergate affair , it has been pointed out that believers in conspiracy theories may interpret even inconvenient events as 'evidence of a conspiracy,' further reinforcing their beliefs.

Based on the research findings, DeNovan suggests that interventions aimed at boosting self-esteem and fostering a sense of purpose in life may help break thought patterns that lead to conspiracy theories.