How Feeling Wronged Can Fuel Conspiracy Beliefs

New research shows that perceived victimhood may fuel conspiracy thinking.

By Matthew Facciani, Ph.D

Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer Ph.D.

Psychology Today/August 1, 2025

Key points

• People sensitive to injustice are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories worldwide.

• Victim Justice Sensitivity predicts conspiracy beliefs beyond politics or mistrust.

• The link is stronger in individualistic countries, showing a cultural role in these beliefs.

When we think of conspiracy theories, we often picture elaborate tales involving secret cabals and hidden agendas. But at their core, these stories are also deeply emotional narratives — ones that revolve around harm, betrayal, and a sense of victimhood. Conspiracy theories don’t just point fingers at shadowy elites; they speak to the lived experience of individuals who feel wronged by the world. In a new international study I co-authored, we explored how people’s personal sensitivity to injustice and their tendency to see themselves as victims may play a role in shaping these beliefs. What if believing in conspiracy theories isn’t only about distrusting others, but also about trying to make sense of one’s own perceived mistreatment?

Overview of Our Study

This research examined whether people who are more sensitive to being treated unfairly — a trait called Victim Justice Sensitivity (VJS) — are more likely to believe in conspiracies. Specifically, this study focused on evaluating victimhood on the individual level and measured how some people are dispositionally more likely to perceive and react to injustice personally.

The research consisted of two initial studies in Germany with about 370 people each. Then we evaluated these questions using a large cross-national survey in 15 countries with about 15,000 people (this was part of the dataset of the large trust in science study I wrote about). We measured both general conspiracy beliefs (such as the idea that big events are being hidden from the public) and specific ones about climate change and vaccines.

Key Findings

A figure from our paper describes the link between conspiracy beliefs (CB) and Victim Justice Sensitivity (VJS) across countries. We find that feeling like a victim is positively associated with both general and specific conspiracy beliefs within countries. This association varies in strength between countries and is stronger for general conspiracy beliefs than for specific ones.

People high in VJS were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, even when controlling for related traits like general mistrust, intolerance of ambiguity, need for control, and political orientation.

This link was observed within countries across the world, meaning it’s not just a product of specific national cultures or histories.

The association was small to moderate but consistent: People with higher VJS endorsed more conspiracies in almost every country studied.

Interestingly, the connection was stronger in more individualistic countries but didn’t appear to depend much on broader economic, political, or violent conflict factors at the country level.

General conspiracy beliefs were more strongly associated with VJS than specific ones about climate or vaccines, but the pattern held for all.

Why Does This Matter and What’s Next?

Conspiracy theories often appeal to people who feel powerless, mistreated, or distrustful of others, traits captured by VJS. People high in VJS are hypervigilant to signs of being wronged and tend to view others with suspicion. When the world feels unfair or ambiguous, conspiracy narratives offer a way to explain and regain a sense of control. This suggests that tackling conspiracy beliefs may require addressing not just misinformation, but also people’s feelings of injustice and distrust.

We need more research to understand whether feeling victimized leads to conspiracy beliefs, or vice versa, or if they reinforce each other in a cycle. Also, there will be a limited impact of debunking if we do not speak to the emotional and psychological needs that make conspiracies attractive.

If you want to understand why conspiracy theories persist, look beyond the “facts” and consider how people feel about their place in the world. For many, believing in conspiracies isn’t just about information. It’s about identity, justice, and a deep-seated need to feel seen and protected from harm.

This post also appears on Misguided: The Newsletter.

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