Conspiracy Beliefs in Post-Communist Europe: The Role Of Religiosity, Political Ideology, and Media Trust Among

Katarzyna Bałandynowicz-Panfil; Małgorzata Łosiewicz; Ana  Slavec; Janez Štebe; Șerban Olah; Győző  Pék; Adrienn  Kaszás-Nagy; Mojca  Šoštarič Zvonare; Magdalena Iwanowska

doi:10.35765/hp.2858

Data publikacji : 2026-03-31

Tom 17 Nr 58 (2026)

Conspiracy Beliefs in Post-Communist Europe: The Role Of Religiosity, Political Ideology, and Media Trust Among

Katarzyna Bałandynowicz-Panfil

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1492-7117

Małgorzata Łosiewicz

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4853-1543

Ana Slavec

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0171-2144

Janez Štebe

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6799-8088

Șerban Olah

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8698-3954

Győző Pék

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9130-7638

Adrienn Kaszás-Nagy

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4744-0615

Mojca Šoštarič Zvonare

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0798-1987

Magdalena Iwanowska

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0878-9523

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/hp.2858

Dział: ARTYKUŁY VARIA / ARTICLES VARIA

Abstrakt

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: This study explores the sociocultural and psychological determinants of conspiracy theory beliefs (CTBs) among unvaccinated individuals in three post-communist countries: Poland, Romania, and Slovenia. The goal is to understand how religiosity, political orientation, media trust, and fear of COVID-19 shape conspiratorial thinking in societies with legacies of institutional distrust and ideological polarization.

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The central research problem concerns the contextual drivers of CTBs in post-communist Europe, where transitional experiences challenge universal explanatory models. The study draws on data from an online survey of 1,641 unvaccinated individuals collected in 2021. Key constructs-including conspiracy beliefs, trust in institutions and media, religiosity, and political orientation-were measured using validated scales and analyzed through multiple regression models.

THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The argument integrates historical and structural factors with individual-level predictors of CTBs. It distinguishes between private religiosity and religious practice, analyzes media trust in fragmented information environments, and contextualizes political ideology within the region’s post-authoritarian trajectories. The analysis emphasizes how fear, belief, and epistemic orientation intersect in shaping vaccine-related conspiracies.

RESEARCH RESULTS: Findings indicate that higher private religiosity, left-wing political orientation, low fear of COVID-19, and reliance on digital or informal information sources are positively associated with CTBs. In contrast, trust in traditional media, trust in medical professionals, and participation in organized religious practices predict lower endorsement of conspiracies. Slovenia and Poland show the highest CTB levels.

CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: CTBs in post-communist societies reflect both historical legacies and current epistemic vulnerabilities. Addressing them requires context-sensitive strategies that rebuild institutional trust, support civic engagement, and recognize the social functions of structured belief systems. The study contributes to a better understanding of misinformation dynamics in transitional democracies.

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