A Research Note on Three Criteria for Truth–Revelation,Reason,Empirical Evidence–and Their Statistical Association with Conspiratorial,Scapegoating,and Misinformed Beliefs

Abstract

In a correlational analysis of 3718 survey-taker's data, belief in a January 6^th FBI conspiracy and belief in scapegoating immigrants for crime were most highly correlated with 1 of 9 demographics: Religious Truth. In addition, belief in the misinformed attribution of autism to vaccines was most highly correlated with 2 demographics: Religious Truth and Education. In a follow-up analysis of Religious Truth, agreement with the conspiratorial belief was affirmed by 38% of those endorsing Revelation as their criterion for truth, 23% of those endorsing Reason as their criterion, and 9% of those endorsing Empirical Evidence as their criterion. Agreement with the scapegoating belief was affirmed by 80% of the people endorsing Revelation, 64% of those endorsing Reason, and 36% of those endorsing Evidence. Agreement with the misinformed belief was affirmed by 27% of the people endorsing Revelation, 15% of those endorsing Reason, and 7% of those endorsing Evidence.

Keywords

revelation reason empirical evidence conspiratorial belief misinformed belief

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