Suchergebnisse

Conspiracy mentality is a general tendency to attribute significant events to the actions of malevolent actors, without referencing to a specific event. In two independent representative surveys of adult Serbian citizens (N1 = 1194; N2 = 1258) we validated Serbian version of the conspiracy mentality questionnaire (CMQ), a reasonably content-free tool designed to capture global conspiratorial beliefs. We successfully validated the adapted CMQ and replicated findings on two national representative samples. In both studies the results demonstrated: good psychometric properties of the CMQ and its predictive capacity for endorsing the international Conspiracy Theories (CTs) (Study 1) and the locally specific CTs (Study 2) over and above the measures of perceptions of political climate (trust in institutions, corruption perception, feeling of insecurity – Study 1), and generalized political attitudes (right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, political cynicism – Study 2). The study presents a unique adaptation and implementation of the CMQ in the non-English speaking country with very active and widespread conspiracy beliefs and a long history of conflicts. ; peerReviewed ; publishedVersion

Conspiracy mentality is a general tendency to attribute significant events to the actions of malevolent actors, without referencing to a specific event. In two independent representative surveys of adult Serbian citizens (N1 = 1194; N2 = 1258) we validated Serbian version of the conspiracy mentality questionnaire (CMQ), a reasonably content-free tool designed to capture global conspiratorial beliefs. We successfully validated the adapted CMQ and replicated findings on two national representative samples. In both studies the results demonstrated: good psychometric properties of the CMQ and its predictive capacity for endorsing the international Conspiracy Theories (CTs) (Study 1) and the locally specific CTs (Study 2) over and above the measures of perceptions of political climate (trust in institutions, corruption perception, feeling of insecurity – Study 1), and generalized political attitudes (right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, political cynicism – Study 2). The study presents a unique adaptation and implementation of the CMQ in the non-English speaking country with very active and widespread conspiracy beliefs and a long history of conflicts.

Immigrants are a popular target of conspiracy theories. Despite the urgent relevance of the topic all around the world today, the number of studies on conspiracy theories about migrants and immigration is limited. Helping to fill this important gap in the academic literature, the research analyses conspiracy theory beliefs about migrants and immigration in contemporary Serbia through survey data from a nationally representative sample (N = 1199). Expanding on the Weberian theory of rationality, the study proposes that people's values about national sovereignty, social conservatism, and religiosity influence their predispositions to believe in conspiracy theories about migrants and immigration. The findings corroborate the argument by showing a statistically significant link between people's political, social, and religious values and responses to conspiracy theories. The article concludes that values could play a significant role in people's adoption of conspiracy theories.

The study's aims are to analyze the endorsement of the ethos of conflict (EoC )‎narrative in the Serbian-Albanian conflict among the adults in Serbia, its relation ‎to political conservatism, and its role in pushing conservative political action. A total of N = 1613 adults (aged 18+) were recruited for face-to-face interviewing, ‎in a representative sampling procedure, in December 2019 in Serbia.‎ The results show high endorsement of EoC in the Serbian-Albanian fray; the‎ mediation effect of EoC (having both high EoC and high conservatism is associated‎ with greater political activism); the relation between EoC and political‎ activism is moderated by age (the older population endorsing higher EoC‎ was more politically active). In the future, we should address more actively the‎ mobilizers of reactionary political actions in public and individual spheres, to‎ better understand the mechanisms for achieving long-term peace.‎

This book explores the main methods, models, and approaches of food consumer science applied to six countries of the Western Balkans, illustrating each of these methods with concrete case studies. Research conducted between 2008 and 2011 in the course of the FOCUS-BALKANS project forms an excellent database for exploring recent changes and trends in food consumption.

PurposeScientific knowledge has been a topic of interest for scholars for a long time; however, its impact on scientific decision- making and determining trust is severely underresearched. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between cultural and social attitudes and scientific knowledge and the impact of knowledge on trust in scientists in general.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a face-to-face survey, drawing from a nationally representative sample of the adult Serbian population (N = 1,451). The authors tested the following parameters: a. the levels of scientific knowledge within the Serbian population; b. social and cultural values as predictors of scientific knowledge and c. the effects of scientific knowledge on trust in scientists.FindingsThe analysis shows a moderate level of scientific knowledge, predominantly positive public attitudes towards scientists. The authors found that scientific knowledge indeed predicts trust in scientists on various issues, and so do cultural and social worldviews, both directly and even more significantly through the mediation of scientific knowledge.Originality/valueThis is the first attempt to assess the level of scientific knowledge among the Serbian public and evaluate its, as well as other factors', influence on public attitudes toward scientists in a time when trusting experts is of great relevance.

People differ in their general tendency to endorse conspiracy theories (i.e., conspiracy mentality). Previous research yielded inconsistent findings on the relationship between conspiracy mentality and political orientation, showing a greater conspiracy mentality either among the political right (a linear relation), or among both the left and right extremes (a curvilinear relation). We revisited this relationship across two studies spanning 26 countries (combined N=104,253) and found overall evidence for both linear and quadratic relations, even though small and heterogeneous across countries. We also observed stronger support for conspiracy mentality among voters of opposition parties (i.e., those deprived of political control).Nonetheless, the quadratic effect of political orientation remained significant when adjusting for political control deprivation. We conclude that conspiracy mentality is associated with extreme left- and especially extreme right-wing beliefs, and that this non-linear relation may be strengthened by, but is not reducible to, deprivation of political control.

People differ in their general tendency to endorse conspiracy theories (i.e., conspiracy mentality). Previous research yielded inconsistent findings on the relationship between conspiracy mentality and political orientation, showing a greater conspiracy mentality either among the political right (a linear relation), or among both the left and right extremes (a curvilinear relation). We revisited this relationship across two studies spanning 26 countries (combined N=104,253) and found overall evidence for both linear and quadratic relations, even though small and heterogeneous across countries. We also observed stronger support for conspiracy mentality among voters of opposition parties (i.e., those deprived of political control). Nonetheless, the quadratic effect of political orientation remained significant when adjusting for political control deprivation. We conclude that conspiracy mentality is associated with extreme left- and especially extreme right-wing beliefs, and that this non-linear relation may be strengthened by, but is not reducible to, deprivation of political control.