Objectification, being treated as a tool to achieve someone's instrumental goals, is a common phenomenon. A workplace supervisor may view employees solely in terms of their output; likewise, friends may be seen only for their potential for personal and social advancement. We conducted five studies (N = 1209) to test whether objectification increases conspiracy beliefs through thwarted trust and whether postobjectification increases in conspiracy beliefs carry behavioural implications. While conspiracy beliefs may have evolved as a strategy for survival, they may be considered maladaptive in the modern world. Therefore, understanding the antecedents, underlying mechanisms, and implications of conspiracy beliefs is essential. We measured (Study 1) and manipulated objectification (Studies 2–5), consistently finding that objectification decreased trust, thereby increasing conspiracy beliefs (Studies 1–5). This effect remained after considering negative emotions (Study 2). Increased conspiracy beliefs following objectification positively predicted unethical tendencies, and the effect of objectification on unethical tendencies was serially mediated by trust and conspiracy beliefs (Study 4). Restoring objectified people's trust weakened their conspiracy beliefs and unethical tendencies (Study 5). We discussed the implications of our findings, proposing directions for researchers, practitioners, managers, and policymakers for theoretical advancement, healthier coping, and promotion of well‐being.

中文翻译：

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在草丛中观赏蛇：物化增加了阴谋论信仰


物化，被视为实现某人工具性目标的工具，是一种普遍现象。工作场所主管可以仅根据员工的产出来看待员工;同样，朋友可能只因其个人和社会进步的潜力而受到关注。我们进行了 5 项研究 （N = 1209） 来测试物化是否通过受挫的信任来增加阴谋论信念，以及物化后阴谋论信念的增加是否具有行为影响。虽然阴谋论信仰可能已经演变为一种生存策略，但它们在现代世界中可能被认为适应不良。因此，了解阴谋论信仰的前因、潜在机制和影响至关重要。我们测量（研究 1）和操纵物化（研究 2-5），一致发现物化降低了信任，从而增加了阴谋论信念（研究 1-5）。在考虑负面情绪后，这种影响仍然存在（研究 2）。物化后阴谋论信念的增加正向预测了不道德倾向，而物化对不道德倾向的影响是由信任和阴谋论信念连续介导的（研究 4）。恢复物化人们的信任削弱了他们的阴谋论信念和不道德倾向（研究 5）。我们讨论了我们研究结果的意义，为研究人员、从业者、管理人员和政策制定者提出了理论进步、更健康应对和促进福祉的方向。