2.2.5. Trust
Distrust plays a fundamental role in the spread of beliefs in conspiracy theories. Miller et al. [3] argue that those who strongly think conspiracy theories believe that the world is a place where secretive, malevolent actions are not only possible but also probable. Thus, people with low trust levels have stronger beliefs in conspiracy theories. Miller et al. [3] show that trust is negatively associated with believing rumors. According to Hart and Graether [29], people who find it difficult to trust others may find solace in worldviews that blame hidden villains for disappointing outcomes.
Many empirical studies focus on the impact of trust on beliefs in conspiracy theories. Abalakina-Paap et al. [24] show that low levels of trust and hostility are related to attitudes regarding the existence of conspiracies in general. Distrust in a targeted object, such as politics, the government, or medicine, leads to beliefs in conspiracy theories. Governments have always been at the center of conspiracy theories. Georgiou et al. [30] show that beliefs in conspiracies are correlated with more negative attitudes toward government’s responses. In politics, conspiracies have always been hidden under the veil of power conflicts. Goldberg and Richey [26] find that three different beliefs in conspiracies are negatively correlated with political trust. Swami et al. [17] show that beliefs in conspiracies about 9/11 are positively related to political cynicism. Moreover, Einstein and Glick [43] find that political scandals decrease trust in the government, which, in turn, is linked with stronger beliefs in conspiracies. In addition, according to Earnshaw et al. [10], medical conspiracy beliefs are partly rooted in medical mistrust or a general suspicion of and lack of confidence in medical organizations and providers. According to Jin et al. [44], respondents who do not believe conspiracies trust information about COVID-19 from their doctors more than information from other sources, including social media. However, conspiracies are spread not only by trust but also in the presence of ignorance, conflict, and power. Miller et al. [3] show that a combination of high knowledge and low trust yields the greatest endorsement of conservative conspiracy theories among conservatives.
Hypothesis 5 (H5).   Trust is negatively associated with beliefs in conspiracy theories.