People do change their beliefs about conspiracy theories-but not often.

Recent research has produced a significant body of knowledge about the antecedents and consequences of individual differences in belief in conspiracy theories. What is less clear, however, is the extent to which individuals' beliefs in conspiracy theories vary over time (i.e., within-person variation). In this descriptive and exploratory study, we therefore aimed to describe within-person variability in belief in conspiracy theories. We collected data from 498 Australians and New Zealanders using an online longitudinal survey, with data collected at monthly intervals over 6 months (March to September 2021). Our measure of conspiracy theories included items describing ten conspiracy theories with responses on a 5-point Likert scale. While there was substantial between-person variance, there was much less within-person variance (intraclass r = 0.91). This suggests that beliefs in conspiracy theories were highly stable in our sample. This stability implies that longitudinal studies testing hypotheses about the causes and consequences of belief in conspiracy theories may require large samples of participants and time points to achieve adequate power. It also implies that explanations of belief in conspiracy theories need to accommodate the observation that beliefs in such theories vary much more between people than within people.

Network analysis applied to post-concussion symptoms in two mild traumatic brain injury samples.

Objective: A latent disease explanation cannot exclusively explain post-concussion symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Network analysis offers an alternative form of explanation for relationships between symptoms. The study aimed to apply network analysis to post-concussion symptoms in two different mTBI cohorts; an acute treatment-seeking sample and a sample 10 years post-mTBI. Method: The treatment-seeking sample (n = 258) were on average 6 weeks post-injury; the 10 year post mTBI sample (n = 193) was derived from a population-based incidence and outcomes study (BIONIC). Network analysis was completed on post-concussion symptoms measured using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Questionnaire. Results: In the treatment-seeking sample, frustration, blurred vision, and concentration difficulties were central to the network. These symptoms remained central in the 10 year post mTBI sample. A Network Comparison Test revealed evidence of a difference in network structure across the two samples (p = 0.045). However, the only symptoms that showed significant differences in strength centrality across samples were irritability and restlessness. Conclusion: The current findings suggest that frustration, blurred vision and concentration difficulties may have an influential role in the experience and maintenance of post-concussion symptoms. The impact of these symptoms may remain stable over time. Targeting and prioritising the management of these symptoms may be beneficial for mTBI rehabilitation.

The potential relationship between loot box spending, problem gambling, and obsessive-compulsive gamers.

Background and Aims: Loot boxes are digital containers of randomised rewards available in many video games. Individuals with problem gambling symptomatology spend more on loot boxes than individuals without such symptoms. This study investigated whether other psychopathological symptomatology, specifically symptoms of obsessive-compulsive behaviour and hoarding may also be associated with increased loot box spending. Methods: In a large cross-sectional, cross-national survey (N = 1,049 after exclusions), participants recruited from Prolific, living in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, provided self-reported loot box spending, obsessive-compulsive and hoarding symptomatology, problem gambling symptomatology, and consumer regret levels. Results: There was a moderate positive relationship between loot box spending and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and hoarding. Additionally, greater purchasing of loot boxes was associated with increased consumer regret. Discussion and Conclusion: Results identified that those with OCD and hoarding symptomatology may spend more on loot boxes than individuals without OCD and hoarding symptomatology. This information helps identify disproportionate spending to more groups of vulnerable players and may assist in helping consumers make informed choices and also aid policy discussions around the potentialities of harm.

Why are beliefs in different conspiracy theories positively correlated across individuals? Testing monological network versus unidimensional factor model explanations.

A substantial minority of the public express belief in conspiracy theories. A robust phenomenon in this area is that people who believe one conspiracy theory are more likely to believe in others. But the reason for this "positive manifold" of belief in conspiracy theories is unclear. One possibility is that a single underlying latent factor (e.g. "conspiracism") causes variation in belief in specific conspiracy theories. Another possibility is that beliefs in various conspiracy theories support one another in a mutually reinforcing network of beliefs (the "monological belief system" theory). While the monological theory has been influential in the literature, the fact that it can be operationalised as a statistical network model has not previously been recognised. In this study, we therefore tested both the unidimensional factor model and a network model. Participants were 1553 American adults recruited via Prolific. Belief in conspiracies was measured using an adapted version of the Belief in Conspiracy Theories Inventory. The fit of the two competing models was evaluated both by using van Bork et al.'s (Psychometrika, 83, 2018, 443, Multivariate Behavioral Research, 56, 2019, 175) method for testing network versus unidimensional factor models, as well as by evaluating goodness of fit to the sample covariance matrix. In both cases, evaluation of fit according to our pre-registered inferential criteria favoured the network model.

Suicide Risk and Protective Factors: A Network Approach.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide is a complex phenomenon, with numerous factors contributing to an individual's risk of suicide. The aim of the present study was to explore how risk and protective factors for suicide interact with one another in a network sense and to determine which factors were most central to a network of these factors. METHOD: Using an online survey, cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 515 individuals who lived in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Participants were recruited through either social media or Prolific Academic. A network of 18 risk and protective factors for suicide was estimated using network analysis. Analyses were preregistered on the Open Science Framework. RESULTS: Factors that had the highest strength centrality were feeling depressed, feeling hopeless, perceived burdensomeness, self-esteem, and social support. Factors that were directly associated with suicidal ideation included feeling depressed, perceived burdensomeness, feeling hopeless, self-esteem, resilience, access to mental health services and a positive attitude toward these services. CONCLUSION: This research demonstrates the importance of examining protective factors as well as risk factors when estimating an individual's suicide risk. The results suggest that interventions targeting depression may be particularly beneficial in reducing suicide risk, but further longitudinal research is required.HIGHLIGHTSThe network analyses estimated depression to be the most central risk factor.Depression and perceived burdensomeness were risk factors for suicidal ideation.Self-esteem and resilience were protective against suicidal ideation.

Conceptual replication of , "Self-efficacy as a mediator in the relationship between self-oriented perfectionism and academic procrastination".

BACKGROUND: Self-oriented perfectionism is the tendency to set high standards for oneself and evaluate one's behaviour accordingly. Based on a study of 692 students in Korea, Seo (2008) reported finding a negative relationship between self-oriented perfectionism and academic procrastination - i.e., the tendency to procrastinate on academic tasks. Furthermore, Seo reported that this relationship was completely mediated by self-efficacy. Seo's study has been influential in the literature but to our knowledge has not yet been independently replicated. In this study we report a preregistered conceptual replication testing five hypotheses based on Seo's key findings. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: A detailed preregistration (including data processing and analysis syntax) was lodged in advance of data collection at https://osf.io/xfvd8. Participants were 575 students recruited from OECD countries using prolific.co. Academic procrastination was measured via an adapted version of the Procrastination Assessment Scale - Students, while self-oriented perfectionism was measured via the 5-item self-oriented perfectionism subscale of the Big Three Perfectionism Scale. Self-efficacy was measured via the New General Self-Efficacy Scale. Both ordinary least squares regression and structural equation modelling were used to test hypotheses. RESULTS: We found no evidence of a bivariate relationship between self-oriented perfectionism and academic procrastination in either set of analyses. However, we did find evidence of a small and negative indirect effect of self-oriented perfectionism on academic procrastination via self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: We were only able to partially replicate Seo's key findings, having found no evidence of a negative relationship between self-oriented perfectionism and academic procrastination.

Associations between conspiracism and the rejection of scientific innovations.

Public opinion regarding scientific developments such as genetically modified food can be mixed. We suggest such science-based technological innovations are rejected by some because they are perceived to be advanced as part of a conspiracy. In nationally representative samples (Australia n = 1011; New Zealand n = 754), we report the associations between five conspiracism facets and anti-science attitudes. Results indicate broad public opposition to genetically modified food and use of nuclear power, but more acceptance of renewable power, potable recycled water, 5G networks, and childhood vaccinations. There were small to moderate associations between the rejection of scientific innovations and conspiracism. Multivariate models estimating unique associations of conspiracism facets with anti-science attitudes suggested several novel and important relationships, particularly for childhood vaccination, genetically modified food, and 5G networks. We discuss the importance of examining factors such as conspiracism in understanding what may motivate and sustain rejection of scientific evidence-based claims about socially contentious technological innovations.

What Makes for the Most Intense Regrets? Comparing the Effects of Several Theoretical Predictors of Regret Intensity.

Several theories have been proposed to account for variation in the intensity of life regrets. Variables hypothesized to affect the intensity of regret include: whether the regretted decision was an action or an inaction, the degree to which the decision was justified, and the life domain of the regret. No previous study has compared the effects of these key predictors in a single model in order to identify which are most strongly associated with the intensity of life regret. In this study, respondents (N = 500) to a postal survey answered questions concerning the nature of their greatest life regret. A Bayesian regression analysis suggested that regret intensity was greater for-in order of importance-decisions that breached participants' personal life rules, decisions in social life domains than non-social domains, and decisions that lacked an explicit justification. Although regrets of inaction were more frequent than regrets of action, regrets relating to actions were slightly more intense.

Do hotter temperatures increase the incidence of self-harm hospitalisations?

A relationship between air temperature and the incidence of suicide has been established in a number of previous studies. Interestingly, the relationship between geographical variation in temperature and suicide incidence has generally been found to be negative, while the relationship between temporal variation in temperature and suicide incidence has generally been found to be positive. It is less clear, however, how temperature relates to the incidence of self-harm. This topic is of particular importance given the presence of ongoing global warming. This study investigated the relationship between temperature and the incidence of self-harm resulting in hospitalisation in New Zealand. Self-harm hospitalisations by date and district for 1993-2009 were obtained from the Ministry of Health. Meteorological data was obtained from NIWA. Generalised linear mixed models were used to estimate the effects of three different components of variation in temperature: geographical, seasonal and irregular. Irregular (random) daily variation in temperature had a modest positive relationship with the incidence of acts of self-harm resulting in hospitalisation, with about 0.7% extra incidents for every 1 °C increase in temperature. However, there was no strong evidence for a positive effect of either seasonal or geographical variation in temperature. We conclude that temperature does appear to bear some relation to the incidence of self-harm, with irregular daily variation in temperature having a positive effect. However, inconsistencies in the effects of different components of variation in temperature make it challenging to accurately predict how global warming will influence the incidence of self-harm.

Validating a measure of children's monitoring-blunting coping styles in dental situations.

The monitoring-blunting theory of coping suggests that when faced with a threatening situation, individuals can respond by either monitoring or avoiding (blunting) threatening information. The current study sought to validate a scale of children's preferences for monitoring or blunting in dental situations (the Monitoring Blunting Dental Scale or MBDS). The psychometric characteristics of the scale were assessed in a sample of 240 New Zealand children aged 11-13. Reliability was adequate for both monitoring (α = 0.74) and blunting (α = 0.76) subscale scores. Convergent validity was indicated by strong correlations (>0.6) between the measure's subscales and those of a related scale, although discriminant validity with respect to dental anxiety was problematic for the blunting subscale. Exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor monitoring-blunting model, although confirmatory factor analysis indicated reasonable but imperfect fit for this model, SBχ²(251) = 510.7, p < 0.001, RMSEA = 0.066. We reflect on conceptual issues which may underlie the difficulties experienced here and elsewhere in developing psychometrically sound measures of Miller's blunting construct and suggest that the monitoring subscale of the study scale may be most useful to other researchers.