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The Collective Conspiracy Mentality in Poland

Soral, Wiktor and Cichocka, Aleksandra and Bilewicz, Michał and Marchlewska, Marta (2018) The Collective Conspiracy Mentality in Poland. In: Uscinski, Joseph, ed. Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them. OUP, pp. 372-384. ISBN 978-0-19-084407-3. (doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0025) (KAR id:73796)

Abstract

In recent decades several conspiracy theories became prominent topics of Polish public debate: the Smoleńsk catastrophe, “gender conspiracy” and “Jewish conspiracy” are some examples of such theories. These conspiracy theories can be viewed as manifestations of a collective conspiracy mentality, a collective mental state in which other groups, nations, or institutions are viewed as ill-intended and willing to conspire against the in-group. This state is instigated by salient historical representations of one’s own group (e.g., nation), viewing the in-group as a victim of others. It is boosted by a special kind of defensive in-group identity—collective narcissism. Finally, it bears negative consequences for inter-group relations.

Item Type: Book section
DOI/Identification number: 10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0025
Uncontrolled keywords: conspiracy theory, conspiracy mentality, collective threat, in-group victimization, collective narcissism, Jewish conspiracy theory, gender conspiracy
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Aleksandra Cichocka
Date Deposited: 08 May 2019 11:03 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Feb 2021 14:04 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/73796 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Cichocka, Aleksandra.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1703-1586
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