Conspiracy beliefs in post-communist Europe

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: This study explores the sociocultural and psycho ‑ logical 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 Eu ‑ rope, 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 histori ‑ cal and structural factors with individual-level predictors of CTBs. It distinguishes between private religiosity and religious practice, analyzes media trust in frag ‑ mented 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.