The hyper-systemizing hypothesis: how the tendency to systemize influences conspiracy beliefs and belief inflexibility in clinical and general populations.

Neophytos Georgiou, Paul Delfabbro, Ryan P Balzan, Nathan Caruana, Robyn Young

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Article in Cognitive processing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 authors.

Neophytos GeorgiouCollege of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia. neophytos.georgiou@flinders.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7868-8250

Paul DelfabbroSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

Ryan P BalzanCollege of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Nathan CaruanaCollege of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Robyn YoungCollege of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Endorsing conspiracy beliefs may relate to fixated interests and less flexible thinking—patterns often observed in individuals with higher autistic traits and autism spectrum disorder. This study examines whether systemizing tendencies, measured by the Systemizing Quotient, contribute to conspiracy belief formation. Study 1, in a general population sample, identified two latent profiles with high autistic traits: one with strong systemizing, better scientific reasoning, and greater conspiracy endorsement; another with lower systemizing, weaker scientific reasoning, but similarly high conspiracy beliefs. These contrasting profiles suggest different cognitive pathways to conspiracy beliefs. Study 2, in an autistic sample, found that systemizing moderated the relationship between autistic traits and conspiracy beliefs, with an interaction between belief inflexibility and systemizing. Overall, these findings suggest systemizing shapes distinct cognitive profiles in individuals with high autistic traits, influencing scientific reasoning and conspiracy endorsement. Systemizing emerged as a key predictor, supporting the hyper-systemizing hypothesis as a distinct pathway to conspiracy beliefs.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderAutistic DisorderCultureThinkingAdolescentAdultCognitive FlexibilityFemaleHumansMaleYoung AdultAutismBias against confirmatory evidenceConspiracy beliefsScientific reasoningSystemisingThinking styles

Identifiers

PMID41533229

DOI10.1007/s10339-025-01326-0

PMCPMC13156087

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