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Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale

Do conspiracy theories intrigue you, or do they consume you? Take this test to find out.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

February 24, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Conspiracy theories have long captured the imagination, offering tantalizing narratives of hidden agendas, secret societies and covert operations. From tales of government cover-ups to speculations about alien encounters, conspiracy theories span a wide range of topics and have intrigued people throughout history. These theories thrive on skepticism toward official explanations and often provide alternative interpretations of events, challenging mainstream narratives and prompting individuals to question the world around them.

As misinformation spreads rapidly across social media and online forums, understanding and assessing conspiracy beliefs has become increasingly important. Belief in conspiracy theories can have significant consequences, ranging from undermining trust in institutions to influencing behavior and decision-making.

Identifying and measuring conspiracy beliefs not only helps researchers better understand the psychological underpinnings of these beliefs, but also enables policymakers and public health officials to develop targeted interventions to address misinformation and promote critical thinking.

The Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale is a valuable tool for assessing the extent to which individuals endorse conspiracy beliefs across various domains. The scale measures beliefs in alluring conspiracies related to government, alien life, secret societies and more. By providing a standardized measure of conspiracy beliefs, this scale allows researchers to compare levels of conspiratorial thinking across different populations and study the factors that contribute to belief in conspiracy theories.

References: Brotherton, R., French, C. C., & Pickering, A. D. (2013). Measuring belief in conspiracy theories: the generic conspiracist beliefs scale. Frontiers in Psychology, 4. 279. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00279

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. The government is involved in the murder of innocent citizens and/or well-known public figures, and keeps this a secret.

2. The power held by heads of state is second to that of small, unknown groups who really control world politics.

3. Secret organizations communicate with extraterrestrials, but keep this fact from the public.

4. The spread of certain viruses and/or diseases is the result of deliberate, concealed efforts of some organization.

5. Groups of scientists manipulate, fabricate or suppress evidence in order to deceive the public.

6. The government permits or perpetrates acts of terrorism on its own soil, disguising its involvement.

7. A small, secret group of people is responsible for making all major world decisions, such as going to war.

8. Evidence of alien contact is being concealed from the public.

9. Technology with mind-control capacities is used on people without their knowledge.

10. New and advanced technology, which would harm the current industry, is being suppressed.

11. The government uses people as patsies to hide its involvement in criminal activity.

12. Certain significant events have been the result of the activity of a small group who secretly manipulate world events.

13. Some UFO sightings and rumors are planned or staged in order to distract the public from real alien contact.

14. Experiments involving new drugs or technologies are routinely carried out on the public without their knowledge or consent.

15. A lot of important information is deliberately concealed from the public out of self-interest.

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Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.