The study, published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, examined 14 variables in demographics, ideology, and personality for links to conspiratorial thinking. “I have long been interested in conspiracy theories, having published around 20 papers on the topic over the past decade or so,” the study’s lead author and professor of psychology at the Norwegian Business School, Adrian Furnham, told PsyPost. When all was said and done, one of the main factors researchers found a strong correlation between endorsement of conspiracy theories and an intriguing characteristic: a low tolerance of ambiguity. Those who believe in an “unjust world,” the researchers found, were also more inclined to believe in shadowy groups pulling the strings. Contrary to what many may think, the researchers found no correlation between a person’s level of education and their capacity to believe in absurd conspiracies.