Dear colleagues,

We are seeking contributions for a pre-registered systematic review titled: “Subjective Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Conspiracy Beliefs: A Systematic Review of Directionality and Psychological Mechanisms.”

Our aim is to compile the most complete and unbiased evidence on how subjective socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., financial strain, perceived precarity, relative deprivation, subjective low SES) relates to conspiracy beliefs / conspiracy mindset, with attention to:

Directionality (e.g., disadvantage → conspiracy beliefs; conspiracy beliefs → downstream outcomes that may exacerbate disadvantage)

Psychological mechanisms (e.g., mistrust, anomie, powerlessness, perceived injustice; mediators/moderators)

To reduce publication bias, we would be grateful for pointers to relevant published, early online, in-press/accepted manuscripts, and preprints that broadly meet the following criteria:

Empirical, quantitative study with adult human participants

At least one subjective SES-disadvantage indicator (e.g., financial strain, subjective SES, relative deprivation, economic insecurity, precarity)

At least one measure of conspiracy beliefs / conspiracy mentality / conspiracist ideation (general or specific)

Reports an empirical association (correlational, longitudinal, experimental, mediation/moderation)

If you are an author of such work, or know of relevant studies, please send the full reference (and DOI if available) and, where possible, a link to the manuscript/preprint (PDF) by 5 March 2026 to: maria.chayinska@unime.it.

Thank you very much for your time and any leads you can share. Please feel free to forward this call to colleagues working on related topics (inequality, deprivation, mistrust, populism, radicalisation, conspiracy beliefs).

With best regards,
Maria Chayinska
on behalf of the Project Team