Although a power analysis could not be completed the data had a large sample N =
2495. Given our number of items is only 13, there are also enough participants per item. An
exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to analyze the underlying factors in attitudes
towards conspiracist beliefs in jamovi (Love, Dropmann, & Selker, 2018). Bartlett’s test
indicated correlation adequacy, 2(78)= 18977 , p < .001, and the KMO test indicated
sampling adequacy, KMO = 0.937.
Figure 1
Scree Plot
Table 1
Factor Loadings
Factor
1
2
3
4
Uniqueness
Q8
0.979
0.152
Q3
0.850
0.266
Q12
0.727
0.292
Q1
0.893
0.319
Q11
0.733
0.367
Q6
0.569
0.389
Q10
0.355
0.678
Q13
0.637
0.400
Q4
0.600
0.369
Q5
0.574
0.507
Q9
0.557
0.469
Q7
0.790
0.295
Table 1
Factor Loadings
Factor
1
2
3
Q2
4
Uniqueness
0.716
0.345
Note. 'Principal axis factoring' extraction method was used in combination with a 'promax' rotation
Table 2
Correlation Matrix
1
1
2
3
4
—
2
3
4
0.585
0.764
0.619
—
0.870
0.814
—
0.864
—
A scree plot examination suggested 2 overall factors, as the plot suggested any following
factors would place below the threshold eigen value of 1. Principal axis extraction was used
with a promax rotation because of expected factor correlation. Based on parallel analysis a 4factor model was suggested. In this case a 3-factor analysis was tested as supported by
parallel analysis giving specific factor correlations instead of the scree plot. Also, the fourth
factor contained less than 3 items, which meant dropping Q2 and Q7 as they failed to
correlate with the three main factors. Factor 1 included 3 items that assessed UFO
Suppression Beliefs, with questions such as “evidence of alien contract is being concealed
from the public” and “secret organizations communicate with extraterrestrials but keep this
fact from the public”. Factor 2 included 4 items that appeared to assess for Beliefs of
Governmental Nefariousness with questions such as “the government is involved in the
murder of innocent citizens and/or well-known public figures and keeps this a secret”.
Finally, Factor 3 included 4 items that assessed for Negativity towards scient and technology
with questions like “Groups of scientists manipulate, fabricate, or suppress evidence in order
to deceive the public”. Factor reliability analyses were conduct for all three factors and
Factor 1 showed a Cronbach’s  of .899; Factor 2 showed a Cronbach’s  of .820 and Factor
2 had a Cronbach’s  of .830. Given these results there appears to be adequate reliability
across the factors.