Echoes of Political Suspicion? Assessing the Boundaries Between Political Distrust, Populist Attitudes, Conspiracy Mentality

To what extent are political distrust, populist attitudes and conspiracy mentality distinct constructs? While extensive research has explored the antecedents and effects of each individually, how these concepts relate to one another has received limited attention. Existing studies suggest a positive association between political distrust, populist attitudes and conspiracy mentality, yet it remains unclear whether these concepts represent similar or distinct psychological phenomena. This research note aims to assess the boundaries between political distrust, populist attitudes and conspiracy mentality, arguing that they represent three empirically distinct concepts. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we show that these three concepts are indeed two distinct, but related factors. Additionally, we highlight notable differences in psychological and socio-demographic antecedents as well as in political (system) preferences.